April 30, 2006

Box Score

SAN MARCOS - Sophomore Collin Delome went 3-for-5 with three runs scored and two runs batted in, but it was not enough as Texas State claimed a 12-9 win over Lamar University Sunday afternoon in Southland Conference baseball action at Bobcat Field to take two of three in the series.

Lamar, who lost its first conference series of the season, dropped to 31-15 overall and 18-6 in SLC play. Texas State improved to 24-24 overall and 16-8 in SLC play. The Cardinals, who start final exams Wednesday, travel to Northwestern State for a three-game series beginning with a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday at Brown-Stroud Field.

The game see-sawed back and forth as every time Lamar scored Texas State had an answer. The bulk of the scoring occurred in the first, third and fourth innings.

The Cardinals scored twice in the top of the first inning. Erik Kanaby led off the game with a single to center field. Jo Jo Haney drew a walk and Collin Delome drove in Kanaby with the game's first run on a single to center field.

DeLome was picked off first base and caught in a run down. Second baseman Pat Crumpton's throw to first hit DeLome in the back and caromed all the way to the fence, allowing Haney to score from third base and give the Cardinals a quick 2-0 lead.

Texas State scored twice in the bottom of the first inning. Cassidy Dresch drew a lead-off walk and Aaron Garza reached on an error by Haney at third base. Cody Merrell loaded the bases with an infield single. Heath Keel delivered a 2-run single to left field that tied the game at 2-2.

Lamar scored four times in the top of the third inning. Haney reached on a fielder's choice, DeLome followed with an infield single and Dan Hernandez reached on an error by shortstop Thomas Field to load the bases. Will Henderson hit a 2-run single to center field. After C.J. Ebarb walked, Matt Lambeth hit a 2-run single to right field to put Lamar up 6-2.

The Bobcats sent 10 batters to the plate to score six runs in the home half of the third inning. Aaron Garza led off the inning with a single up the middle. Luke Cannon walked and Cody Merrell hit into a fielder's choice. Second baseman Ryan Baker's throw to first on the double play attempt skipped by Hernandez at first, allowing Garza to score.

After David Wood singled, Keel cleared the bases with a 2-run triple off the wall in right center field. Following a walk by Dawid Bednarek, Pat Crumpton tripled to the wall in left center field to drive in two more runs. Brian Needham (1-3) was brought on in relief of Harrington, and balked in the final run of the inning to give the Bobcats an 8-6 lead.

The Cardinals used a two-out rally to score two runs in the top of the fourth inning to tie the game at 8-8. Lamar had the makings of a bigger inning as Crawford walked and Kanaby singled to start the inning. Haney grounded into a 6-4-3 double play, which was one of five grounded into by Cardinal hitters on Sunday.

DeLome tripled off the wall in left center field, his fifth of the year, to drive in Crawford. Hernandez, who was 3-for-5, singled to right field to drive in DeLome with the tying run.

As was the case all afternoon, Texas State answered with four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take the lead for good at 12-8. Keel, who was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and five RBI, drew a bases loaded walk to drive in Luke Cannon. Bednarek drove in Merrell with a sacrifice fly to right field. Field delivered the big blow, a 2-run single to center field.

Lamar closed out the scoring with a run in the top of the ninth inning on a two-out RBI single to right field by Ebarb to make the score 12-9. Chris Hill (1-1) pitched 1 2/3 innings of relief to pick up the win for the Bobcats. He allowed two runs on four hits with two walks and one strikeout. David Wood pitched three innings of scoreless relief, allowing two hits with two strikeouts. Justin Fiske pitched the final two innings, allowing one run on two hits with one strikeout. Starter Mike Hart lasted just 2 1/3 innings, allowing six runs, four earned, on four hits with three walks.

Needham look the loss in relief for the Cardinals, allowing four runs, two earned, on no hits with four walks and two strikeouts in two-thirds of an inning pitched. Harrington also lasted just 2 1/3 innings, allowing eight runs, five earned, on six hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Chuckie Platt was the Lamar's best pitcher Sunday. He tossed five innings, allowing no runs on two hits with one walk and one strikeout.

Lamar out hit the Bobcats 12 to eight, but Cardinal pitchers issued eight walks with five of them coming around to score. Both teams committed three errors, which led to a total of seven unearned runs.