April 30, 2011

Box Score

BEAUMONT, Texas - The recent struggles of Lamar University's baseball team continued Saturday afternoon in an 11-inning, 3-2 loss to Northwestern State University.

Struggle No. 1 was loading the bases twice in the first inning and scoring only run.

Struggle No. 2 was hitting into three double plays in the middle innings.

Struggle No. 3 was netting only one run out another prime scoring opportunity in the eighth inning when the Cardinals did manage to knot the score at 2-2.

The final struggle - but certainly not the most costly - was being unable to at least match the 11th-inning run the Demons pushed across to claim their second-straight win of the series to extend the Cardinals' Southland Conference losing streak to eight games, their longest since the 1990 season.

The Cardinals' first-inning run came via four-straight bases on balls issued by Demon left-hander Colin Bear. Joey Latulippe's bases-loaded walk gave him his 23rd run batted in of the season. With the bases still loaded, Jeff Abt struck out swinging, Andy Mena popped out to shallow right field, and Cameron Campbell grounded out to leave the bases loaded.

Northwestern State, which improved to 17-27 on the season and 7-16 in the SLC, scored single runs in the second and third innings to take a 2-1 lead over Lamar starter Blake Ford.

Finally, in the eighth inning, pinch runner Andrew Dewey scored Lamar's second run on a balk, but Latulippe attempted to come in on a ground ball to second base and was forced out at the plate. The rally fizzled moments later as Jude Vidrine flew out to left field to leave two runners on base.

For the game, the Cardinals, who fell to 23-21 on the season and 9-14 in the league, stranded 12 runners.

Ford pitched eight-plus innings and allowed eight hits while striking out five batters and walking four. Left-hander Machon Trimm relieved Ford after he yielded a leadoff single to left field by Will Watson in the ninth inning.

When Watson doubled off Trimm to lead off the Demons' 11th inning, Taylor McInnis replaced him, and Watson eventually scored the decisive run on a single up the middle by Matt Yerby. The loss dropped Trimm's record to 2-3.

Joe Scanio, who turned in 3 2/3 scoreless innings of relief picked up his fourth win of the season, and Mason Melotakis earned his fifth save by retiring Ted Zentek on a flyball to center field to end the 3-hour, 6-minute game viewed by a Vincent-Beck Stadium crowd of 829.

The Cardinals and Demons conclude the three-game series with a 1 p.m. game on Sunday.

LAMAR