ABILENE, Texas – Already up 2-0, Abilene Christian took control of the game and put it out of reach with a seven-run fourth inning that downed the Lamar University baseball team 9-0 in the series finale at Crutcher Scott Field in Southland Conference action.
 
Early in the game, it was a struggle for the Cardinals (24-17, 11-10 Southland) to come through with runners in scoring position, and the Wildcats (11-25, 2-19) took advantage of the momentum. Lamar came out firing with three-straight singles that led off the game – from Cutter McDowell, Reid Russell and Robin Adames – but the Wildcats tight roped out of the jam with a 5-2-3 double and fly out, which left Cardinals at second and third.
 
ACU capitalized with a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, on Dalon Farkas' two-run double. McDowell reached on a one-out double in the third inning, but was stranded there on strikeout and fly out. ACU went on to strand another Cardinal runner in the top of the fourth, and exploded for a seven-run in the bottom half that put the contest out of reach.
 
The fourth was comprised of ACU's Mark Pearson (single), Russell Crippen (double) and Derek Scott (double) coming up with three-straight RBI-base knocks. The big blow of the inning was a three-run shot from Anthony Dominguez.
 
In total, the Cardinals stranded seven runners, five in scoring position – three of those in the first three innings.
 
The Cardinals only put up four hits in the game, two alone from McDowell in a 2-for-4 day. His double was the 20^th of his season, which tied him for eighth all-time for two baggers in a season. All four hits in the game for the Cardinals were from the top three spots in the order.
 
Russell was 1-of-3 with a walk and Adames was 1-for-4.
 
The Wildcats totaled up 14 hits, led by two each from Scott and Dominguez, and both scored two runs. Dominguez had three RBI and Farkas had two.
 
Jace Campbell (3-2) suffered the loss and lasted only 3 1/3 innings. He gave up seven runs on eight hits and two walks. Brett Brown relieved him in the fifth inning and worked 2 2/3 innings with two runs allowed on five hits and no walks. Ryan Cawthon took over in the seventh inning and closed it out strong. He fired two innings with just a hit and walk allowed.
 
Keaton Brewer (1-2) took the win after he worked into the sixth, was pulled when he walked Silvers as the leadoff hitter. He totaled five scoreless innings with four hits and four walks allowed, and he struck out four Cardinals. Jonah Smith closed out the game and earned his first career save with four innings of work. The freshman was hitless and walked two.
 
The contest ended a four-game road swing for the Cardinals, who return home Tuesday at 4 p.m. to host Texas Southern. They'll stay home at Vincent-Beck Stadium over the weekend and take on Nicholls in a three-game Southland Conference set.