SAN ANTONIO, Texas – UIW scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning and that proved to be the difference in the game as San Antonio's version of the Cardinals defeated Lamar University, 6-4, Friday afternoon at Sullivan Field. The loss drops LU to 24-21 (.533) on the season, and 16-19 (.457) in Southland Conference play.
 
Big Red's playoff hopes are still alive due to McNeese's victory over Central Arkansas in game one of a doubleheader in Conway. The Cardinals need to beat UIW Saturday and have UCA drop one of its final two games to advance to the Southland Conference Championships.
 
Sophomore Braxton Douthit got the start for LU but was lifted in the 5^th inning after surrendering five runs on eight hits with a walk. He did strike out five but drops to 1-3 on the year.
 
Aaron Celestino pitched 6.0 innings giving up three runs – two earned – on seven hits to pick up the victory for UIW.
 
Big Red collected 10 hits on the day led by a 4-for-4 effort from Cole Girouard and a 3-for-4 performance from Chase Kemp (with a home run). Girouard finished the day with a home run, two RBIs, a run scored and two stolen bases.  
 
UIW took an early lead after scratching out a run in the bottom of the first, and the score remained 1-0 until Big Red made a little two-out noise in the top of the fourth. It was the bottom of the order that got LU on the scoreboard, when sophomore Ryan Snell got things started with a double to left center off the bat of Ryan Snell. Moments later Snell moved to 3^rd on a passed ball and was driven home on an infield hit off the bat of Cole Girouard.
 
Unfortunately, the momentum was short lived as the hometown Cardinals answered with three runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a three-run lead, 4-1. The fourth inning kicked off a stretch of three consecutive innings that saw each team score. Unfortunately, LU wasn't able to hang any crooked numbers on the scoreboard scoring solo runs in the 4^th, 5^th and 6^th innings.
 
After Douthit ran into some trouble in the 5^th, he was lifted in favor senior Douglas Palmer. UIW already had a run home, but Palmer got the first man he faced to limit the damage. The good guys answered with a two-out shot to right center off the bat of Girouard – his third of the season – to trim the deficit to two, 5-3, but UIW answered back with one in the bottom half of the sixth.
 
The LU bullpen was solid surrendering only one run on one hit, but the offense was unable to tack on any more runs until the 9^th inning. Junior Chase Kemp smoked an 0-1 pitch over the right field wall to trim the deficit but could get no closer.
 
The two teams will return to Sullivan Field Saturday afternoon to close out the series. The game four first pitch is slated for 1 p.m. from Sullivan Field.