Box Score March 14, 2014
Box Score
HAMMOND, La. – Lamar pitcher Will Hibbs put on a sublime performance for eight innings on Friday evening, and it would be his occasional battery mate that made sure it didn’t go to waste for the Lamar baseball team as Brandon Provost uncorked a two-run shot in the 10th inning to give the Cardinals a 5-3 victory over Southeastern Louisiana at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.
Hibbs, a sophomore out of Friendswood, held the Lions (9-8, 0-1 Southland) to just one unearned run on three hits through eight innings of work, but unfortunately, his bid for a first career complete game came up just short as he allowed a pair of baserunners to lead off the ninth. Those runs would eventually score off of reliever J.T. Autrey to send the game into an extra inning.
Jacoby Middleton was hit by a pitch to lead off the top of the 10th, and Brandon Provost followed up by sending a 3-2 pitch over the wall in left to put the Red and White ahead 5-3.
Autrey, who was credited with his second win of the season, made way for Danny Fernandez in the bottom half of the frame. The junior reliever picked up three quick outs, including two via strikeout to earn the save.
Provost was one of four Cards to register multiple hits on the night, led by Sam Bumpers season-best 4-for-6 showing. Both Provost and Kevin Santana ended 2-for-5 with a homer apiece, and as a team LU (13-6, 1-0 Southland) out-hit the hosts 12-5.
After Santana opened up LU’s account with a second-inning solo blast, the Cards doubled the advantage in the third. Justin Eckols led off the frame with a double, and a Bumpers single put him 90 feet from home. Jude Vidrine cashed in the score with a fielder’s choice to short.
Vidrine was once again involved in the fifth, leading off with a walk, his Southland-leading 16th of the season, and then moved into scoring position on a Middleton groundout. Provost followed up with a single to center to bring him home.
The three-run lead was short-lived, however, as a throwing error by Tyler Sullivan on a steal attempt allowed SLU’s Kyle Cedotal to touch home to make it 3-1, which is how the score would stay until the bottom of the ninth.
LU, which has now won five consecutive games, and SLU will return to Alumni Field on Saturday for the second of three-game series, and first pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.
#PeckEm
