Box Score March 19, 2010
Box Score
BEAUMONT - Central Arkansas pulled off a rare double steal to cap a two-run rally in the eighth inning Friday night as the Bears came from behind to defeat Lamar University 4-3 in Southland Conference action.
Jordan Getchell, who entered the game as a pinch-runner, scored the decisive run on the back end of the double steal started by teammate Bobby Pritchett, who had walked to give the Bears runners on the corners with two men out.
Lamar starting pitcher Eric Harrington left the game with a 3-2 lead after throwing a whopping 122 pitches through seven innings. Three Cardinal relievers failed to hold it, however, as the Bears scored the tying run earlier in the eighth on a walk, a stolen base, a groundout and an RBI single by Blake Roberts.
Cory Holley, the second of Lamar's three relief pitchers who worked the eighth inning, was charged with the loss, dropping him to 1-1 on the season.
Michael Wild, a senior right-hander, grinded his way to a complete-game victory. The 6-foot-1, 190-pounder scattered nine hits and struck out four batters without walking anyone to even his record at 2-2. He threw 110 pitches.
The Bears' late rally spoiled Lamar's earlier offensive effort that saw second baseman Aaron Buchanan extend his hitting streak to 14 games with a third-inning single that helped the Cardinals take a 1-0 lead.
After the Bears tied the score in the top of the third, big Wade Mathis recaptured the lead for the Cardinals by blasting a two-run home run over the rightfield fence in the bottom of the inning. It was Mathis' second homer of the season.
Harrington, who picked up his second no-decision of the season, allowed six hits and two runs during his seven-inning stint. He struck out six and walked two.
The loss dropped the Cardinals to 14-5 on the season, while the Bears improved to 6-11. Both teams are 1-3 in the SLC.
Start time for Saturday's Game 2 in the three-game series has been moved up to 1 p.m. because of expected inclement weather later in the day.
