HOUSTON, Texas – Houston had to score solo runs in the seventh and eighth innings to escape with a win over Lamar University, 6-5, Tuesday evening at Schroeder Park. Tuesday's game marked the second year in a row that a matchup between Houston and LU went down to the wire with the Cardinals picking up the victory last year in Beaumont.
 
It was a frustrating night for LU (4-4) who outhit Houston. The Cardinals scored five runs on 10 hits, while the Cougars finished the night with six. Big Red was hurt by leaving seven runners left on base.
 
Sophomore Trhea Morse took the mound for his first career start and went 2.0 innings of scoreless ball without surrendering a hit. He struck out two Cougars with his lone hiccup a hit batter in the first. Morse was one of eight Cardinals to take the mound Tuesday as junior Landon Odom was stuck with the loss after surrendering just one run in 0.2 of an inning.
 
Houston's Kyle Laclameto got the start for the home team and surrendered three runs on four hits. He also hit two batters (both HBP came against Reese Durand). Laclameto was lifted after 4.0 innings of work. UH's Derrick Cherry pitched an inning to pick up the victory – his first of the season – while Ben Sears pitched a scoreless 9^th for the save.
 
Seven different Cardinals collected at least one hit Tuesday, led by multi-hit performances from Ben MacNaughton and Kevin Bermudez. McNaughton finished the night 2-for-5 with a run scored, while Bermudez was 3-for-5. Durand and Josh Blankenship only had one hit, but they made it count as both hit home runs.
 
The Cardinals wasted little time getting started. With two outs in the top of the first, Big Red took advantage of Durand getting plunked. Chase Kemp followed suit by driving an 0-2 pitch into left center to plate Durand from first. Blankenship then stepped into the box. After working the count to 3-1, he blasted a homer over the wall in left field to give the Cardinals a 3-0 lead.
 
Houston was able to cut into the lead in the bottom half of the third, Brandon Uhse homered to left driving in Malachi Lott who opened the frame with a walk. The Cardinals' pitching staff battled back by striking out the side to cut off the inning. The Cougars took the lead in the fourth when they plated two unearned runs.
 
The Cardinals didn't allow their hosts to get comfortable with the lead responding in the very next half inning. After Ben MacNaughton led off the inning with a walk, Durand brought him home after crushing the first pitch he saw over the left field wall.
 
Neither team scored again until Houston managed to tie the game with a run in the seventh. After a scoreless top half of the eighth, UH's Skyler Trevino came to the plate with two out and runner on second. After falling behind in the count, 0-1, Trevino tripled to right field scoring the run, but he got greedy trying to turn the three-bagger into an inside the park homer and was thrown out at the plate on a nice relay, Matt McDonald-Kemp-Kyle Harper.
 
The Cardinals will look to get back in the win column Friday when they return home to open a four-game homestand against Mount St. Mary's. First pitch Friday is slated for a 6 p.m. start.