May 4, 2013

Box Score

BEAUMONT – Three Cardinals had three-hit outings, but unfortunately for the Lamar baseball team, it wasn’t enough as visiting Oral Roberts picked up a 12-6 victory at Vincent-Beck Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Sam Bumpers continued his hot streak at the plate, going 3-for-5 with two scores and a run batted in. The junior out of Iowa Western helped propel the Cards to a pair of early leads in the first three innings, doubling twice.

Darian Johnson went 3-for-5 as well with two RBI, and Brad Picha supplied the power in the middle of the line-up, finishing 3-for-4 with a homer and knocking in three.

The rest of the Cardinals, however, combined for just three hits as ORU out-hit the hosts 16-12.

Bumpers led off the first with a lead-off double, and a Jude Vidrine sacrifice bunt and Johnson single plated him for the opening tally. Picha followed up just one pitch later with a towering shot over the wall in left to triple the advantage.

The lead was short-lived, however, as the Golden Eagles (17-26, 12-8 SLC) got to LU starter David Carver in the second. The line-up combined for three singles and a double to tie the game up.

However, LU (33-14, 12-8) picked up two more in the bottom half of the frame. Olivas reached on a fielding error by ORU second baseman Matt Brandy, and a Zach Luevanos sacrifice bunt and Bumpers double put the Cards ahead once more. Bumpers later scored on another Johnson single.

Chase Angelle would relieve Carver on the mound, ultimately allowing two scores (one earned) on five hits over 4.1 frames.

After ORU scored an unearned run in the fourth to cut the deficit in half, Luevanos led off the bottom of the frame with a walk. He moved into scoring position on a Bumpers single in the ensuing at bat and later scored on Picha single to center, restoring the two-run advantage.

A lead-off triple in the sixth followed by a Chris Williams groundout put the Golden Eagles within one again, but it proved to be a harbinger as ORU would break through for seven more scores two innings later to take control of the game.

Williams was once again involved, sending LU reliever Ben Coram’s 2-2 pitch over the wall in left to tie the game up with one out. The senior went on to give up five scores in the frame, before Travis Moore came on to allow two more before inducing a Williams flyout to get out of the inning.

Coram was pegged with the loss, falling to 1-1 on the year.

The game secured the series win for the Golden Eagles, becoming the first team to take a weekend series over the Cards since March.

LU will look to avoid being swept for the first time this season on Sunday as the two sides will return to Vincent-Beck for a 1 p.m. start.

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