April 6, 2010

Box Score

BEAUMONT - Lamar University's baseball team suffered its first shutout loss of the season Tuesday night as Houston Baptist University's Chase Hernandez pitched a seven-hitter in the Huskies' 2-0 victory.

Herrandez, a 6-foot-4, 235-pound junior from Deer Park, threw 112 pitches, did not walk a batter and struck out two. He also batted in the cleanup spot in the order and drove in the Huskies' final run with a ninth-inning single to right field.

Lamar starter Blake Ford pitched four hitless innings but was a hardluck loser as the Huskies pushed across an unearned run in the fourth to hand him his fourth loss in five decisions.

Paul Prestera led off HBU's fourth inning with a walk, and Zeke Zikeli sacrificed him to second base. Prestera then stole third base and came in to score when Ford threw wildly to third baseman Pablo Salinas.

The Cardinals, who fell to 17-12 on the season, also received good pitching stints from Cory Holley, Garrett Steward and Brandon Chambers. They joined Ford in holding the Huskies to a mere four hits while combining for 10 strikeouts (four by Steward and three by Ford).

Salinas, who doubled to right centerfield to lead off the Cardinals' third inning, paced their seven-hit attack by going 3-for-3. Shortstop Aaron Buchanan went 2-for-4 to raise his team-leading batting average to .336, and Michael Padgett, who received a rare start in left field, had the Cardinals' other double.

The victory improved HBU's record to 9-14 going into Wednesday's series finale. Start time in Vincent-Beck Stadium has been moved up to 3 p.m. in hopes of avoiding predicted inclement weather later in the day.