March 2, 2008
Box Score
Brian Needham threw 6.2 innings of shutout ball and got a three-run cushion to lead Lamar to a 4-0 victory over Arkansas State in the final game of the Cardinal Classic, present by the YMBL at Vincent-Beck Stadium Sunday.
Needham (1-1) struck out three and retired 13-straight Indians from the second through sixth innings. His only tight spot came in the sixth when ASU loaded the bases on a triple, a hit batter and a walk before the junior from Sugar land, Texas, got a ground-ball force out at second to end the threat.
He yielded the mound with two down in the seventh and a man on to closer Tim Erickson who promptly recorded his first four outs via strikeout before retiring the side in order to end the game. Erickson earned his second save by working 2.1 innings and allowing a pair of hits - a bunt single and a single up the middle.
Lamar (4-3) went 3-1 in the Classic and saw the leadoff hitter reach base in five of the eight times up to bat. The Cardinals recorded their first shutout of the season.
Lamar's top four hitters in the lineup collected at least one hit with Tyler Link posting a 2-for-3 day. Brian Taylor, Jeff Vickers and Steven Tucker each a hit and an RBI.
ASU (4-4) only had six total hits and only one runner advanced past second. Both teams left seven men on base and turned one double play.
Offensively, Lamar played station-to-station ball and took advantage of steady execution throughout the game. Anthony Moore got things started in the first when he walked to open the game and after a bunt and single, scored from third on a groundout.
Three innings later, Vickers opened the frame by reaching via an error, moved to second on a walk, to third on a fielder's choice and scored an infield single by Tucker.
A Cardinal run in the fifth saw Link single through the left side, move to second on a rundown that ended with an obstruction call on ASU second baseman Brandon Eller, to third on a groundout and score on yet another infield single, this time from Vickers that made it 3-0.
Lamar's fourth run came in the seventh when Travis Dunson led off with a single to left field. He moved to second on a bunt single by Moore and to third on a sac bunt by Link. Taylor flied out to center and Dunson scored on a head-first slide when he slipped his hand under the tag of catcher Cade Baxter.
Lamar will return to action Tuesday and Wednesday for its first two midweek games of the season with a pair of non-conference games against arch-rival McNeese State. Tuesday's game will be in Beaumont and Wednesday's at Cowboy Diamond in Lake Charles, La. Both games will begin at 6:30 p.m.
