May 14, 2011

Box Score

BEAUMONT, Texas - Lamar University erupted for eight hits and 10 runs in the first inning Saturday afternoon and went on to capture a 14-6 Southland Conference victory over UT Arlington before a crowd of 887 in Vincent-Beck Stadium.

The Cardinals sent 13 batters to the plate in throwing their first-inning knockout punch. Catcher Joey Latulippe got the first RBI of the frame with a bases-loaded single to center field, and Jeff Abt and Jude Vidrine also had RBI singles while Andy Mena had a two-run double and Ted Zentek a two-run single.

"I thought Zach Boulanger (the Cardinals' starting pitcher) did a great job on the front end of the game and that Machon Trimm (the eventual winner) did a great job on the back end," said Jim Gilligan, Lamar's head coach. "Of course, the 10-run first inning was a beautiful sight. That's something I haven't seen in a long, long time."

In advancing to 27-23 on the season and 13-16 in the conference, the Cardinals pounded out 18 hits, their third-highest total of the spring. Zentek, the senior centerfielder from Simsbury, Conn., led the charge with four hits in five trips to the plate, while Abt and designated hitter Cameron Campbell had three hits each.

Vidrine, a freshman outfielder from Nederland, slugged a two-run home run to left centerfield in the sixth inning and finished with three RBIs, as did Mena, a senior second baseman from Huffman Hargrave.

Boulanger gave way to reliever John Gilligan after allowing seven hits and three runs over 3.2 innings. Trimm, a junior left-hander from Pearland, relieved Gilligan in the fifth and pitched the final five innings, scattering four hits and not allowing a run in improving his record to 3-4.

The loss dropped the Mavericks to 25-26 overall, and they are also 13-16 in the league. Junior left-hander Calan Pritchard, who did not retire any of the seven batters he faced in the first inning, absorbed the loss, falling to 3-5 on the season.

The Cardinals and Mavericks will complete the three-game SLC series with a 1 p.m. Sunday game, also in Vincent-Beck Stadium.

LAMAR