HOUSTON, Texas – Lamar University scored five runs in the top of the 2^nd inning and tacked on runs in the 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, 7^th and 8^th to defeat Houston Baptist, 12-0, Saturday afternoon at Husky Field. The Cardinals won three of the four games to take the series with all three victories won by at least 10 runs.
 
Braxton Douthit got the start and went four strong innings surrendering just three hits while striking out two (with a walk). Douglas Palmer and Benjamin Content combined to pitch four scoreless innings, as Palmer gets the win (3-0).
 
Javan Smitherman got the start for Houston Baptist but lasted only three innings after giving up six runs (five earned) on six hits with two walks, with no strike outs.
 
Junior Chase Kemp and senior Anthony Quirion each recorded three hits on the afternoon with a home run. Kemp was 3-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored, while Quiron went 3-for-5 three RBIs and two runs scored. Weyler added one hit on the afternoon and it was a three-run shot to left field.
 
The Cardinals sent nine men to the plate in the top half of the second, but the most impressive thing about the inning is that all of Big Red's damage came with two outs in the inning. MacNaughton doubled down the leftfield line to get things started, and after a Cole Girouard walk, Ryan Snell singled home the first run of the game. The big blow came off the bat of Kelby Weyler who took Smitherman's 1-0 pitch over the leftfield fence for a home run – his first of the season.
 
With LU's pitching staff hanging zeros, the offense went to work extending the lead. Big Red tacked on runs in five of the next six innings, including a three-run spot in the eighth to take a commanding 12-0 lead into the bottom half of the inning. HBU was unable to answer in the home half falling to 6-21 overall and 4-12 in conference play.
 
The Cardinals (13-9/5-7 SLC) will be back in action Friday, April 9, when they travel to Natchitoches, La., to open a four-game series against Northwestern State. Friday's first pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m. from Brown-Stroud Field.