May 21, 2010

Box Score

Game Photo Gallery

Gift for Gage Night Photo Gallery

BEAUMONT - For the second-straight game, Lamar University's baseball team had trouble taking advantage of scoring opportunities, and for the second-straight time the Cardinals bowed to Stephen F. Austin Friday night.

After stranding 16 runners in a 9-3 loss on Thursday night, the Cardinals left 12 runners stranded in Friday night's 10-6 defeat that assured the Lumberjacks of their first series victory over Lamar in its 53-game history.

The Cardinals' most glaring shortcoming at the plate came in the seventh inning when they loaded the bases three times and scored only one run.

In the first bases-loaded situation, second baseman Andy Mena grounded back to the mound for a 1-2-3 double play. After Pablo Salinas walked to reload the bases, Wade Mathis drew another walk to force in a run, but designated hitter Wade Mathis then struck out to end the inning with the bases loaded.

The Cardinals pulled off a mini-rally in the eighth inning, scoring three runs to pull to within 9-6, but the Lumberjacks added an insurance run in the top of the ninth. Two walks and a passed ball helped the Cardinals advance runners to first and third in their half of the frame, but it ended when Kevin Roebuck popped up to catcher Riley Huble.

Anthony Moore, Joey Latulippe, Roebuck and Salinas added two hits each to the Cardinals' 12-hit attack, but the Lumberjacks had 14 hits to run their two-game total to 29.

Justin Long, who slugged a solo home run Thursday night, added a three-run shot in a pinch-hit role Friday to boost the Lumberjacks' lead to its largest margin at 9-2 in the seventh inning. Huble also helped lead the Jacks' offense by collecting three hits in four at-bats and driving in two runs.

Jonathan Dziedzic, Lamar's starting pitcher, struck out eight batters in six innings, but he allowed 12 hits and eight runs in absorbing his fifth loss in nine decisions this season. SFA starter Brad Oates yielded six hits and two runs over six innings in improving his record to 3-2.

While Lamar will go into Saturday afternoon's regular-season finale with a 30-24 overall record and 15-17 Southland Conference mark, the Lumberjacks will be at 34-17 and 20-11.