Final Stats

BEAUMONT, Texas - Lamar had tying run on third base and the go-ahead on first, but Matt Ditman shut the door and secured the 4-3 win for No. 14 Rice over the Cardinal baseball team at Vincent-Beck Stadium on Tuesday in non-conference action.

Lamar fell to 13-15 on the season, and Rice improved to 20-11.

Down 4-2 in the middle of the ninth inning, Kyle Markum drew a leadoff walk from Austin Orewiler, who took over in the third inning, and was pulled for pinch runner Justin Eckols. Orewiler was relieved by Josh Pettitte, and Pettitte immediately gave up a double to left center to Kevin Santana, which was able to score Eckols from first. Joe Arechiga pinch ran for Santana.

Pettitte stuck out Brendan Satran for out one, and Ditman came on and struck out Mason Salazar for the second out. CJ Moore, representing the winning run, reached on a single deep to the shortstop, but Ditman was able to escape with his fifth save of the season after Stijn van der Meer grounded out to second base.

"I thought we did a good job of working to comeback in the inning. We had the tying and winning run on," said head coach Jim Gilligan. "Rice is no ordinary club, they are always a tough out. I'm proud of the way our guys battled tonight."

Two errors in the second inning really bit the Cardinals and allowed three runs to score in the inning. Charlie Warren drew a leadoff walk and stole second base. He able to take third when LU catcher Brandon Provost tried to pick him off at second, but sailed the ball into centerfield.

He scored on a Tristan Gray's single through the right side. John Williamson singled into right field, and right as right fielder Moore scooped up the ball Gray had just rounded second. Moore tried to cut Gray down, but the ball sailed into the third base dugout and Gray was allowed to score. Hunter Kopycinski put a sacrifice fly up to right field, which allowed Williamson to score from third.

Lamar answered with two runs in the bottom of the frame, the first on a RBI-triple to right center off the bat of Salazar. He scored Satana, who reached on an infield single. Salazar scored when Rice starter Glenn Otto uncorked a wild pitch.

Rice added the insurance run it needed in the top of the ninth on Warren's double to center that pushed across Ford Stainback. Stainback reached on a leadoff single through the right side.

LU starter Brent Janak (0-1) took the loss on two inning pitched. He gave up three runs, two earned, on three hits and a walk. Joe Farley took over in the fourth and worked two frames with two hits allowed. Galen Andrews entered in the sixth and pitched two scoreless innings with just a walk allowed.

Brandon Kirkham, Kyle Leggett and Enrique Oquendo combined for two innings and one run allowed.

"We wanted to get some guys in the game and get some confidence before the weekend," said Gilligan. "I thought that everyone that went in looked good. I feel like we improved, and I feel like we're bettered prepared pitching-wise than we have been this season."

Orewiler (4-0) worked six innings with one run allowed. Pettitte pictched one-third of an inning and Ditman two thirds.

"When you're facing pitching like we face, you're going to leave some runners on base," said Gilligan.

Lamar stranded seven runners on the bases, four in scoring position.

Moore and Santana were 2-of-4 in the contest, and van der Meer 2-for-5. Santana and Salazar each had a run scored and batted in. Provost and Markum were 1-for-3, and Salazar was 1-of-4.

Lamar opens a three-game Southland Conference set with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at Vincent-Beck Stadium on Thursday at 6 o'clock. The second contest is at 6:00 on Friday and the finale is scheduled for 1 o'clock on Saturday.