March 17, 2012

Box Score

BEAUMONT, Texas - The luck of the Irish wasn't with the Lamar University baseball team on St. Patrick's Day, despite the fact the Cardinals took to the field wearing special green St. Patty's Day caps.

Nothing went right for the Cardinals in the sixth inning as UT Arlington broke open a tight game by erupting for eight runs en route to a 9-1 victory over the Cardinals in a Southland Conference game at Vincent-Beck Stadium.

"It was a pitchers' duel until then," Lamar coach Jim Gilligan said. "But UT Arlington took care of that."

Lamar starter Eric Harrington (0-3) cruised through the first five innings, allowing just one hit. But Harrington retired only one batter in the sixth while allowing five hits and five runs. UT Arlington (13-7 overall, 3-2 Southland) scored three more runs off reliever Ben Coram before the Cardinals (6-12, 0-5) finally got out of the inning. Coram worked the final 3 2/3 innings, allowing six hits and four runs, while walking two and striking out three.

Wayne Stanley gave Lamar a 1-0 lead in the second with an RBI singles that played Thomas Henk. That was all Lamar could muster off of UTA starter Lance Day (6-0), who scattered seven hits over 6 1/3 innings. Michael Morales pitched 2 2/3 innings of scoreless relief for the Mavericks.

Darian Johnson, Jeff Abt and Jude Vidrine had two hits apiece for the Cardinals. Stewart Hill went 4-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored for UT Arlington.

Lamar, which is 0-5 in conference play for the first time since 1988, looks to salvage the final game of the three-game series at 1 p.m. Sunday.

For ticket information, call (409) 880-1715, or visit LamarCardinals.com.

LAMAR