BEAUMONT, Texas – A scoreless game through three innings, Lamar University (13-26, 8-12 SLC) rode a dazzling pitching performance and tremendous outfield defense to its sixth straight win overall in a 5-0 shutout victory over Abilene Christian University (18-19, 4-16 SLC). The Cards have now won consecutive Southland Conference series and have moved into ninth place in the SLC standings.
 
"Great job by Noah to step up like that. You saw the shades of Noah from earlier in the season, and that's what we needed today," said head coach Will Davis. "Chet chewed up an inning and a third for us which was big, and unfortunately we didn't get the runs we needed until the eighth or we wouldn't have had to use Erickson, but he was pretty electric as well with five strikeouts in an inning and two-thirds. Despite the poor hitting conditions today we had clutch at-bats when we needed them. We don't have to have a great offense as long as we've got an opportunistic offense, and we did that today."
 
Hitless through three innings, Cole Girouard broke up the no-hitter in the bottom of the fourth with a lead-off double down the right field line. That hit ignited the Cardinal bats; Robin Adames followed suit with a single through the left side that put runners on the corners before Cole Coker reached on an error to load the bases. Logan LeJeune drew first blood with a sac fly to right, allowing Girouard to reach home standing up. An RBI groundout to first from Cole Secrest scored Adames to give Lamar a 2-0 lead through four innings.
 
The first of many spectacular Big Red defensive plays came at the top of the fifth. On the sixth pitch of the at-bat ACU's Robert Salazar hit deep into the outfield about halfway between Girouard and Secrest, and Girouard sprinted over from center to attempt to make a play. The sophomore made an over-the-shoulder catch as he tumbled to the ground, saving a hit. A strikeout and a 4-3 grounder ended the fifth, and after Ingram was stranded in the bottom of the inning after a two-out walk, the score remained Lamar 2, ACU 0 through five innings.
 
Girouard again showed his incredible defensive range in the sixth inning, diving for the catch in a "Sports Center" worthy play. A double with two outs put a Wildcat in scoring position but Noah Sills struck out the final batter he faced to strand him. Sills threw six innings of scoreless baseball with six strikeouts, allowing just three hits while walking none with one hit-by-pitch. Coker collected a single in the bottom of the inning but was struck down in a double play, and after six Lamar led 2-0.
 
Not to be outdone by Girouard, Secrest and Avery George stepped up in a big way in the seventh. On a fouled-off ball Secrest broke towards the right field line as the ball headed out the stadium. Slamming into the wall in front of the right field handicap-accessible stands Secrest plucked the ball out of the air for the first out of the inning. George was just as good in the next at-bat; a foul ball shot toward the visitors' bullpen and George made a sliding catch across the mound in left foul territory for the second out of the inning. Chet Jones forced a more standard liner to left field for the final out, and Lamar led 2-0 through seven innings.
 
"I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the play of Secrest, Girouard, and George," said Davis. "They all made highlight reel catches today to help us out and we really needed that."
 
Abilene Christian came close to breaking the shutout in the top of the eighth. A lead-off walk advanced to second on a sac bunt, and Ryan Erickson relieved Jones a runner in scoring position and one out. Erickson struck out the first batter he faced, beaned the second one, and struck out the third batter he faced. The strikeout was dropped though and the runner reached first, loading the bases with two outs. Erickson got a soft-hit grounder to second for the final out, stranding all three Wildcats. Heading into the bottom of the eighth Lamar led 2-0.
 
Chad McKinney got the Cardinal bats going in the bottom of the inning. The senior catcher drew a five-pitch walk to open the inning, and a one-out single from Girouard pushed him to second. Adames singled both of them over to load the bases with one out, and a single up the middle from Coker scored McKinney and Girouard and placed Adames on second. LeJeune singled to load up the bases again and a sac fly from Secrest scored the final Cardinal run. After eight innings Lamar led 5-0.
 
Erickson struck out the side for his second save in as many appearances and his third of the year. The junior from Beaumont, Texas, had five strikeouts in an inning and two-thirds with no hits, no walks, and one hit batter.
 
The Cardinals will go for the sweep tomorrow with Jason Blanchard (0-4, 3.09 ERA) on the mound. The Wildcats have not yet announced their starter, but first pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. with weather potentially a factor.