March 22, 2008
Box Score
BEAUMONT - Lamar answered every blow that Stephen F. Austin delivered and hit multiple home runs for the third time in six league games as the Cardinals completed a series sweep with a 6-5 victory at Vincent-Beck Stadium Saturday.
Lamar improves to 14-7 overall and 5-1 in Southland Conference action. SFA drops to 9-11 and 1-5.
SFA scored single runs in four of the first seven innings but saw Lamar match the output in every inning except the second, when the Cardinals pushed three across. In that frame, Brian Taylor was hit by a pitch before Travis Dunson and Logan Pace each singled to load the bases with one out and bring up the top of the LU order. Anthony Moore was plunked by the first pitch he saw to drive in Moore. Tyler Link then made it 4-1 Lamar when his single to right field was mishandled by Kai Kirby as both Dunson and Pace came around to score.
The Cardinals added single runs in the fifth and seventh innings when Chris Dunkin and Steven Tucker each led off with homers. It was the first of the season for both players.
The top five batters for Lamar recorded five hits and drove in all six runs. Lamar had its leadoff man reach base in each of the innings that it scored and executed a season-high three sacrifice bunts. Pace and Dunson each collected a pair of hits and scored a run apiece for the Cardinals.
Brian Needham earned his second save in as many days as he earned a four-out save, with his only miscue coming when Jeff Brewer hit a 1-out homer over the left field wall in the ninth. Needham then retired Kirby and Zach Gardner on a pair of ground balls to secure the first sweep of the season and the first since taking three-straight at Sam Houston State April 14-15 last year.
It also marked the first time SFA has been swept in Southland play since April of 2006.
For Lamar, Tim Erickson (2-0) earned his second-consecutive victory after striking out five in seven innings, while allowing four runs with just one being earned. SFA's first-inning score halted Erickson's scoreless innings streak at 20.0, while he didn't allow an earned run until the seventh, which ended his scoreless unearned runs streak at 26.0 innings.
SFA starter Lance Luetge allowed all six runs on eight hits and fell to 3-2 on the season.
Lamar will return to action on Tuesday when it plays host to Texas-Pan American in a 3 p.m. doubleheader at Vincent-Beck Stadium.
