BEAUMONT, Texas – Senior Anthony Quirion hit two home runs (8, 9) – one to left and one to right – to lead Lamar University to a 7-3 victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Saturday afternoon at Vincent-Beck Stadium.
 
Quirion's 2-for-4 effort at the plate, along with a Chase Kemp's first-inning homer (just moments before Quirion's first shot of the day), and a Cardinal pitching staff that allowed just three runs on four hits was too much for the visiting Islanders on a windy, and at times wet, Saturday afternoon.
 
Despite the game being delayed by 20 minutes, due to weather, Zach Bravo took the mound and was dominant early striking out four of the first six batters he faced. Bravo went 5.0 innings allowing three runs (two earned) on two hits with seven strikeouts. He did walk three batters but two of those came in the Islanders' two-run fourth.
 
Bravo (5-1) gave way to Max Mize who pitched two scoreless frames of two-hit ball with two strikeouts, while Jack Dallas came on to pitch a scoreless 8^th and 9^th inning for his ninth save of the season.
 
Reese Durand led the Cardinals with a three-hit day (3-for-4) with two runs scored, while Deric LaMontagne went 2-for-3 with a run scored, and Kemp went 2-for-4 with a home run (Kemp's home was the Cardinals' first run of the game).
 
Kemp got the scoring started for the Cardinals when he took Mason Hopkins' fourth pitch of the game over the right field wall. Two batters later, Quirion took Hopkins deep on a 1-2 pitch over the left field wall. The Cardinals tacked on another first-inning run after Kelby Weyler singled LaMontagne home from second (LaMontagne followed Quirion's homer with a single and then advanced on a balk).
 
Bravo kept the visitors off the board for 3.2 innings, before A&M-Corpus Christi mounted a two-out rally. The Islanders took advantage of two walks, a hit batter, wild pitch and a single to scratch out two runs in the inning. A&M-Corpus Christi tacked on one more in the top half of the fifth to tie the game at three.
 
The Cardinals answered right back in the home half when Quirion hit his second of two home runs on the day – an opposite field shot – to give LU back the advantage, 4-3. LU head coach Will Davis then turned the game over to his bullpen and they didn't disappoint. Mize and Dallas combined to pitch four scoreless allowing just two hits, with no walks, while striking out four.
 
The Cardinals' bullpen was also aided by a great catch from Groves' native Cole Girouard in center field. A&M-Corpus Christi's Tristan Welch drilled a ball just to the left of 380 sign, but Girouard tracked it the whole and snagged the ball as he went crashing into the wall. He came to the plate in the 8th and was responsible for the Cardinals final run of the game. Girouard was 1-for-4 on the day with two runs batted in.
 
The Cardinals will try and even out the series against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Sunday. First pitch for game four is slated for 1 p.m. from Vincent-Beck Stadium.