BEAUMONT, Texas – After trailing by a run going into the sixth inning, Abilene Christian scored one in the sixth, and four in the seventh and held on to escape with a 6-3 victory over Lamar University in game one from Vincent-Beck Stadium.
 
The Cardinals (15-11/6-4 WAC) led for the first five innings of the game before ACU rallied in the latter stages. Big Red scored their three runs on five hits but also committed two errors in the game. The Wildcats scored their six runs on 10 hits.
 
Junior Braxton Douthit (3-1) suffered his first loss of the season after going 6.1 allowing six runs – four earned – on seven hits, with a walk and eight strike outs. Douthit gave up a solo home run on the first pitch of the game and then settled into a rhythm.
 
The Cardinals answered with two runs in the bottom half of the first inning on sacrifice flies from Josh Blankenship and Ryan Snell to take a one-run lead. Douthit and company made that lead stand until the sixth inning when Abilene Christian plated one. After getting their leadoff batter on, he was able to come around and score after a passed ball and a double off the bat of Miller Ladusau.
 
The Wildcats were able to grab the lead and build a little cushion in the very next inning. After loading the bases, the Wildcats scored runs on a fielder's choice and consecutive doubles ending the frame with four runs on three hits with one error.  
 
ACU's Tyler Morgan (4-0) was able to keep the Cardinals in check through 7.2 innings. He was pulled in the eighth, after allowing just two earned runs on four hits with three strikeouts and a walk. Sam Berberich came in with two outs in the eighth and closed out the frame, but with one out in the ninth he ran into Snell who smashed a 1-0 pitch over the wall in left field. Unfortunately, that was as close as the Cardinals could get as Berberich managed to get the final two outs of the inning.
 
Both junior Kelby Weyler and sophomore Kevin Bermudez went 2-for-4 in the game, while Snell was 1-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs.
 
The Cardinals return to action Saturday when they face host ACU in the second game of the three-game series. Saturday's first pitch is slated for 2 p.m. from Vincent-Beck Stadium.