BEAUMONT, Texas – Coming down to the final inning in both games of a doubleheader Sunday, Lamar University (7-25, 3-12 SLC) fell 6-2 and 2-0 in two games against the University of New Orleans (16-16, 7-8 SLC) in Vincent-Beck Stadium. The Cards were within one run in the 11 a.m. game before an error cleared the bases in the ninth, and Jason Blanchard and Ryan Erickson pitched 11 innings of near perfection before New Orleans put two across in the 12th of the series finale.

DOUBLEHEADER GAME 1 – New Orleans 6, Lamar 2

Philip Ingram opened the first game with a lead-off single, advancing to second on a sac bunt from Cole Girouard. Cole Coker joined him on the base paths with a two-out walk, and Logan LeJeune collected an RBI single up the middle with two outs. A fielder's choice struck down LeJeune ending the first inning with Lamar leading 1-0.

Though it appeared as if Lamar would get a chance to extend its lead in the bottom of the second inning with Noah Sills down to a 3-2 count with two outs, a clutch single up the middle got New Orleans going. The Privateers collected two more base knocks in the half inning, scoring one run before a 4-3 groundout ended the UNO run. The Cards would load the bases with two outs in the bottom of the inning thanks to a single from Grant DeVore and walks to Ingram and Girouard, but a fielder's choice again ended the threat. After two innings the score was tied 1-1.

Neither team would score again through the fifth inning despite both Sills and New Orleans starter Kyle Arjona being relieved before the fourth, but New Orleans would take its first lead of the day in the top of the sixth. With one out UNO singled through the right side to put a runner on, and though the next batter hit into what looked like a double play, a costly error instead allowed runners on first and second. A sac fly in the next at-bat gave New Orleans a 2-1 lead before Jack Dallas struck out the final batter of the inning. Ingram would draw a two-out walk in the bottom of the inning but be stranded. After six New Orleans led 2-1.

Free bases plagued Lamar in the top of the eighth. A hit-by-pitch on a 1-2 count with one out placed a runner on first, and a wild pitch in the next at-bat put the Privateer on second before a groundout placed him on third. A second wild pitch scored the runner giving New Orleans a 3-1 lead. A two-out walk to Chad McKinney turned into a run after McKinney stole second and reached home on a single from Ingram and an error by the Privateer shortstop, but a flyout cut short Lamar's comeback attempt. After eight innings the Cards trailed by one, 3-2.

Back-to-back walks to Owen Magee and Beau Bratton opened the top of the ninth, and Orynn Veillon followed that up with a single into left field. The fast-moving ball squirted past the outstretched glove of the left fielder, allowing Veillon to reach third and score Magee and Bratton. A single from Cody Ducote pushed Veillon across, unearned, giving UNO its 6-2 margin of victory.

DOUBLEHEADER GAME 2 – New Orleans 2, Lamar 0 – 12 innings

Blanchard looked nigh untouchable in his eight innings against New Orleans in the afternoon game. The freshman from Kingwood, Texas, struck out seven while allowing just four hits and walking one. He faced the minimum in the first, third, fifth, sixth, and eighth innings on exactly 100 pitches. Erickson was just as good in relief, striking out five with just one hit and no walks in three innings of relief. The senior and Beaumont native sat down six batters in a row with four consecutive strikeouts and a grounder to short.

Lamar came incredibly close to taking the lead several times in the game, including the first inning. A lead-off single from Ingram expired on a fielder's choice to DeVore, but an error on Coker's at-bat allowed DeVore to reach second and placed Coker on first. A fielder's choice struck down DeVore at home and placed Coker on second and Robin Adames at first, and a four-pitch walk to LeJeune loaded the bases with two outs. A six-pitch at-bat to Mitch Andrews ended in a deep fly-out to center field.

The next good scoring opportunity for Lamar came in the fourth. Adames was beaned in the lead-off slot and reached second on a single by LeJeune up the middle. Cole Secrest tried to bunt Adames home, but the pitcher fielded and threw home just before the senior first-baseman from The Bronx, N.Y., arrived. A strikeout stranded Secrest and LeJeune.
Lamar again came within striking distance in the sixth. LeJeune drew a one-out walk on a 3-2 count, and a two-out single from Secrest put LeJeune in scoring position before Girouard was beaned to load the bases. McKinney made good contact with the first pitch he saw, but the angle of the hit and the wind brought the Cards up just short in what turned into a deep fly ball.

Big Red's final big chance came in the bottom of the ninth. Girouard led off with a double and McKinney sac bunted him to third with one out. Unfortunately, what looked like a sac fly instead turned into a double play when the New Orleans left fielder threw out Girouard at home, sending the game to extras.

Three hits in the 12th put two runs across for New Orleans in the top half of the inning, and Lamar failed to answer, ending the game.

UP NEXT

Lamar returns to action at home on Tuesday with Northwestern State (15-13, 5-5 SLC) coming to town. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. The Cards will then hit the road for a three-game series at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (17-16, 3-9 SLC) April 13-15 before concluding the non-conference series against the Demons at Northwestern State on April 17.