May 13, 2005
Final Stats
SAN ANTONIO - Lamar pounded out 15 hits, but left 13 runners stranded as the Cardinals dropped the series opener at Texas-San Antonio, 7-4, in Southland Conference baseball action Friday afternoon at Roadrunner Field.
Lamar dropped to 31-20 overall and 12-10 in SLC play. UTSA improved to 22-28 overall and 13-9 in SLC play. The Cardinals and Roadrunners will continue the series today at 2 p.m. and close out the three-game set Sunday at 1 p.m.
Trailing 7-3, Lamar inched closer with a run in the top of the eighth inning. Jo Jo Haney, who was 3-for-4 with a run scored, singled to center field with one out. Murray Gilbertson walked and Matt Lambeth, who was 3-for-5, drove in Haney to cut the lead to 7-4.
The Cardinals loaded the bases with one out in the top of the ninth inning. Adrian Cantu, a San Antonio native playing in front of about 20 family and friends, reached on a fielder's choice. Colt Crawford, who was 3-for-5, singled to center and pinch-hitter Chase Richards reached on an infield hit.
UTSA reliever Noah Tritz struck out Will Henderson and Haney to end the game. Tritz pitched the final one and two-third innings to earn his first save of the season.
The Roadrunners broke a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the sixth inning. Ryan Crew led of the inning with a walk and Stephen Holdren followed with a single to right field to put runners on the corners. Chris Lewis followed with a 3-run home run to left field off reliever Scott Vander Weg.
UTSA started the scoring with a run in the bottom of the first inning off Lamar starter Tim Erickson. Sean Danielson led off the inning with a single and J.R. Voyles and Crew both walked to load the bases with no outs. After a foul out by Holdren, Lewis drove in Danielson with the game's first run on a sacrifice fly to left field.
Lamar responded with a pair of runs in the top of the third inning. Lambeth led off the inning with a double down the left field line. Jeremy Gray followed with a single to left field to put runners on the corners.
Ambort, who was 1-for-2 with two runs scored, drove in Lambeth with a fielder's choice ground out and scored on a throwing error by Crew at shortstop to give Lamar a 2-1 lead.
UTSA answered with a pair of runs in the home half of the third inning. Voyles singled to left field and Holdren drew a one-out walk. Lewis struck out, but both runners were able to move up a base on wild pitch by Erickson.
Michael McKennon singled to right field to drive in Voyles. Ryan Saltzgaber followed with an RBI single up the middle to give the Roadrunners a 3-2 lead.
The Cardinals tied the game with a run in the fifth inning. Ambort started a two-out rally by being hit by a pitch from UTSA starter Aaron Rodriguez. A balk moved him to second and Adrian Cantu delivered an RBI single to right field to score Ambort and tie the game at 3-3.
Vander Weg (3-4) took the loss for the Cardinals, allowing three runs on three hits with one strikeout and two walks. He was replaced by freshman Scott Meyer on the mound after injuring his groin. Rodriguez (7-4) pitched seven and one-third innings, allowing four runs, three earned, on 13 hits with three strikeouts and three walks to pick up the win.
