HUNTSVILLE, Texas – Battling in both games, Lamar University (10-22, 2-13 SLC) fell just short Saturday in a doubleheader at Sam Houston State (20-9, 12-3 SLC). The Cardinals led or were tied for 11 and a half innings of the two games but fell 6-5 in the second game and 8-4 in the finale.
 
Game 2 – Sam Houston State 6, Lamar 5
 
The Cardinals out-hit the Bearkats 15-10 and led by as much as four runs, 4-0, but long balls again proved the difference for Sam Houston State in the first game of the doubleheader with the first homer of the game pulling Sam within one run in the third and a walk-off ending the game, 6-5, in the bottom of the ninth.
 
A scoreless first led into a two-run inning for Lamar in the second. Robin Adames led off with a double and reached third on a 4-3 grounder from Reese Durand. An RBI single from Logan Berlof scored Adames, then Anthony Quirion put himself on first and Berlof on second with a single to short. The final hit of the inning, an RBI double to left field from Rhett McCall, scored Berlof and put Quirion 90 feet from home. A flyer to center and a foul out to the catcher stranded two with Lamar leading 2-0.
 
Lamar struck again in the third inning. Cole Coker led off with a single to left center and reached second on a single from JC Correa. Adames singled in the next at-bat to load the bases with no outs and a 1-3 grounder from Durand drove in Coker. Berlof singled home Correa before a double play ended the top of the third with Lamar leading 4-0. A single, an RBI triple, a sac fly to left, and a two-out solo homer pushed three Bearkats across in the bottom of the third and put the score at 4-3 Lamar through three innings.
 
Big Red scored its final run of the game in the top of the fourth. Durand drew a lead-off walk but was struck down in a fielder's choice from George. George stole second and third during Cole Girouard's at-bat, then scored on Girouard's RBI single. A popup to left and a 4-3 grounder ended the top of the fourth. Three singles, a walk, and a fielder's choice scored two for Sam Houston to tie the game at 5-5.
 
The Cards collected hits in the fifth, sixth, and ninth innings but bad luck and double plays hampered each of those efforts. Starter Jason Blanchard and reliever Austin Smth held the Bearkats scoreless in the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth with just three hits allowed to Sam Houston. Unfortunately, the third hit allowed was the game-winning, walk-off homer to left field. The Bearkats won 6-5.
 
Game 3 – Sam Houston State 8, Lamar 4
 
Grason Wright got the start in the finale and was largely effective. The redshirt sophomore from Warr Acres, Okla., had five strikeouts with five hits, one earned run, and one walk. Two unearned runs scored in the first on an error.
 
Those two unearned runs were matched in the top of the second when Lamar scored two of its own. JC Correa reached on an error but was struck down on a double play. Logan Berlof singled, Anthony Quirion was walked, and Cole Secrest singled all with two outs to score both Berlof and Quirion. A 5-3 grounder ended the top of the second with Lamar and Sam tied at 2-2.
 
Lamar had one hit in the fourth, another two in the fifth, and one in the sixth but couldn't convert the runners into offense. Sam Houston stretched the lead to 4-2 in the bottom of the seventh but Lamar pulled back within one in the top of the eighth inning. Correa drew a two-out walk and scored on a two-out double from Adames. He was pinch ran for by Kirkland Banks who was stranded on second. Heading into the bottom of the eighth it was Sam Houston 4, Lamar 3.
 
The bottom of the eighth saw four more runs score for Sam Houston on four hits. Lamar would attempt a rally in the ninth, scoring one on a two-base error and putting two runners in scoring position, but a lineout to second ended the game. The final – Sam Houston 8, Lamar 4