Final Stats

EDINBURG, Texas - Bullpen woes hurt the Lamar baseball team again on Saturday when the Cards surrendered a seven-run sixth inning that helped the Broncs win the series on a 11-8 victory at the Edinburg Baseball Stadium in non-conference action.

The series finale is scheduled for noon on Sunday. The Cardinals are expected to start right-hander Will Hibbs (1-0, 4.82), and will be opposed by Robert Quinonez (0-0, 4.15).

UTPA (7-4) opened the bottom of the sixth inning with an 8-4 deficit, but forced Lamar (6-4) to go through five pitchers to get three outs but not before they allowed six runs to cross the plate. Brandon Love, who entered the game in the fourth, started the inning by plunking Isaac Gonzalez, and was replaced by Brett Brown.

Brown walked Cole Loncar on four-straight balls, and was pulled for Brandon Kirkham, making his first appearance this season. Kirkham promptly hit Jesus Garcia to load the bases with no outs. All three base runners moved up a bag on a wild pitch.

Kirkham forced Logan Landon to fly out to shallow right field to keep the runner from advancing, but walked Jacob Huckabay on four-straight balls in the next plate appearance. He fell behind 3-1 to the next batter, Victor Garcia, and was replaced by Ryan Cawthon.

Cawthon's first pitch was a ball which scored one run and kept the bases loaded. He struck out Edgar Cordon, but gave up a two-out single up middle to Manny Loredo that scored two Broncs and tie the game. Scott Mercer was walked to load the bases again, and Gonzalez singled to left field to score two more.

After the Gonzalez's single, Cawthon was replaced by Derek Wade, who uncorked two wild pitches to let the last run of the inning cross.

The Cardinals used runs in the third, fourth and sixth innings to grab an 8-4 lead.

Senior catcher Brandon Provost led off the Lamar third frame with a first-pitch double in that bounced off of the left field wall. Two batters later, Jake Nash singled to left field and Provost was held up to put runners on first and third bases with just one out.

Kevin Santana followed Nash with a two-bagger into left field that scored both Cardinals. After a pitching change, Tyler Sullivan was walked, and both he a Santana moved up a bag on a wild pitch. Joe Arechiga notched his third run batted in of the season on a single up the middle.

The bottom of the third inning was just as crucial as the Broncs made a charge to tie the game for a third time, but fell one run short in the frame. Landon, who sparked Friday's rally, opened the frame with a single through the left side.

Huckabay followed with a double to left center and pushed across Landon. Two batters later, Loredo lined a two-out single through the left side that scored Huckabay, but Cardinal starter Chase Angelle forced the next batter, Scott Mercer, to line out.

CJ Moore, who led off the fourth with a full-count walk, scored the run in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Cutter McDowell. Moore advanced to third base on Provost's single through the left side.

Stijn van der Meer sparked the sixth inning rally with a leadoff double and took third on a wild pitch just after a Bronc pitching change. Provost drew a one-out walk, and advanced to second on a single from McDowell, that scored van der Meer. One batter later, Reed Seeley drew a five-pitch walk that loaded the bases for Nash, who notched a RBI on a hit by pitch.

The two clubs went back-and-fourth in the first two inning and were tied on the outset of the third.

The first run of the game scored on a Lamar error just after a single to left field from Huckabay. Landon scored on the play after a single the play before and was held at third on Huckabay's single, but the cutoff throw was bobbled by van der Meer.

Lamar answered with two in top of the second on a RBI single from Sullivan, scored McDowell, and an error off of the bat of Joe Arechiga, scored Nash.

The Broncs tied the game at 2-2 the bottom half of the frame on a single up the middle by Loncar that pushed across Scott Mercer.

Angelle lasted three innings and surrendered four runs (three earned) on six hits and two walks. He was relieved by Love in the fourth inning who allowed the one run, the batter hit in the sixth, on no hits and two walks. Kirkham was tagged with the loss.

UTPA starter Ryan Jackson only worked 2.2 innings and gave up five runs (four earned) on six hits and a walk. The last three pitchers of the game for UTPA locked down the Cardinal offense with three inning worked and only two hits allowed.

Both McDowell and Santana drove in two runs on the day on one hit and also scored a run. Provost, Nash, Sullivan and van der Meer all had two hits in the contest, and Provost and Nash each scored runs.

After Texas-Pan American, the Cardinals return home for a four-game home stand that features Prairie View A&M and the open of conference play with Northwestern State.