May 20, 2011

Box Score

NACOGDOCHES - For the second straight day, Lamar University's offense was shut down by a solid Stephen F. Austin pitching staff as the Lumberjacks picked up a 5-0 Southland Conference baseball victory over the visiting Cardinals at Jaycees Field on Friday.

Pending the outcome of Friday's late games, the Cardinals may find themselves in a must-win situation in Saturday afternoon's 1 p.m. series finale if they are to earn one of the eight spots into the 2011 SLC Tournament. LU began Friday's action in a three-way tie for seventh place with McNeese State and UT Arlington.

The Cardinals have now been shut out four times this season, including both games with the Lumberjacks after Thursday's 2-0 loss. Lamar stands at 28-25 on the season and 14-18 in SLC play. SFA improved to 34-20 on the year and has locked up the No. 2 seed in the SLC Tournament with a 20-12 conference mark.

SFA scored right away to open the game as leadoff hitter Bryson Myles was walked, stole second and then advanced to third on a wild pitch by LU starter Zach Boulanger. Boulanger was pulled after walking Garrett Smith to put runners on first and third with no outs.

Myles, who finished with three stolen bases on the day and now leads the conference with 50 steals, promptly stole home off of LU's new pitcher Machon Trimm to put the Jacks up 1-0. Right fielder Jackson Hood would add an RBI single in the first to give SFA a 2-0 lead through one.

Two runs were more than enough for SFA starter Jared West to pick up his seventh win of the season against three losses. West worked six full innings, allowing only two hits while striking out eight LU batters. Reliever Brad Oates allowed five Cardinal hits over the final three innings, but did pick up his first save of the year.

SFA added their other three runs in the fourth inning off of Lamar's third pitcher of the day, Shane Hamaker. Hamaker was only able to record one out while allowing three hits and the three earned runs. Taylor McInnis came in and got the final two outs of the inning.

Senior second baseman Andy Mena got the first LU hit of the game to lead off the fifth inning. Jude Vidrine, who had two hits on the day, followed with a single through the right side to put runners on first and second with no outs. West was able to strike out Andrew Dewey and Aaron Buchanan, and force Ted Zentek to ground into a fielder's choice to get out of trouble.

The Cardinals were able to get a pair of base runners on in both the seventh and the ninth innings, but each time SFA was able to work out of the jam.

Boulanger, who threw just 11 pitches, took the loss for Lamar after being charged with the first run of the game. The junior right hander earned his first decision of the season in falling to 0-1.

Junior John Gilligan, the fifth Cardinal pitcher of the day, was very effective as the 6-foot-4 transfer worked the final four innings, allowing only two hits and striking out four.

LAMAR