BEAUMONT, Texas - Taking a 1-0 lead into the sixth inning and tying the game in the seventh, a two-run eighth inning handed Lamar University (3-5) a close loss to the University of Texas-San Antonio (7-2) on Tuesday. The Cardinals dropped a 4-2 decision to the Roadrunners at home.

A designated bullpen day, Christian Grigsby got the start for Big Red and was phenomenal on the mound, using just 19 pitches to mow down six straight UTSA batters. Douglas Palmer took over in the third and kept the streak going with another 1-2-3 inning, and Marcus Olivarez pitched a scoreless fourth after allowing two hits. Max Mize relieved Olivarez in the fifth and surrendered just one run, and Braydon Credeur went 2.0 innings with two earned runs while striking out three. Jack Dallas closed out the final one and two-thirds with two strikeouts, allowing one run on one hit and a walk.

Lamar continued its theme of striking quickly, putting one run across in the first. Avery George led off with a single to center field and reached second on a wild pitch, then a grounder from Cole Girouard put George on third. A sac fly from Anthony Quirion scored George before a popup ended the inning.

Kelby Weyler singled with two outs in the second inning and reached second on a catcher's interference on Cole Secrest, but both were stranded on a foul-out down the right field line. Through two innings Lamar led 1-0.

Neither Lamar nor UTSA could do much on the base paths until the sixth inning. The Roadrunners got two on in the fourth but a double play from Lamar ended the inning, and LU got a single from Girouard in the third that was stranded. The Roadrunners finally broke onto the board in the top half of the sixth. A lead-off single reached second on a sac bunt, and a two-out double scored the Roadrunner on second. A liner to left ended the inning, but the game was tied 1-1 heading into the bottom half and Lamar went down in order. Through six, the game was tied 1-1.

A lead-off homer in the seventh briefly put UTSA ahead, but Lamar answered with a run of its own in the next frame. A two-out single from Weyler came home on a triple by Secrest, and Drew Ardoin tried to bring Secrest home but couldn't quite run out the throw to first from the pitcher. Through seven innings the game was still tied, now at 2-2.

A lead-off double in the top of the eighth reached third on another sac bunt, and an intentional walk put runners on the corners. With two outs another double scored both runners, but the UTSA batter was thrown out trying to stretch the double into a triple.

George led off LU's eighth with a single to third but a fielder's choice struck him down, and a flyout left Lamar without much room to manuver. JC Correa singled through the right side to put Girouard in scoring position, but a liner to center field ended the inning. Through eight, UTSA led 4-2.

A two-out error briefly gave Lamar life in the ninth with Logan Berlof reaching, but a fielder's choice ended the game. UTSA escaped with a 4-2 decision over Lamar.

The Cardinals return to action on Friday with the first of three games against Akron. First pitch for Friday is set for 6 p.m.