MOBILE, Ala. – Lamar University recorded a six-run third inning and that would be all the offense starter Hunter Hesseltine, and the Cardinal bullpen would need, to defeat North Alabama, 9-1, to close out Mobile Baseball Tournament Sunday.
 
The Cardinals finished the day with eight hits, led by multi-hit games from Jack Schell (2-for-4, run) and Ethan Ruiz (2-for-3, double, RBI, run).
 
Senior Hunter Hesseltine got the start and went 5.0 strong innings allowing no runs on one hit with five punch outs, while only walking one batter. He was one of six pitchers to take the hill for LU Sunday as the Cardinals bullpen pitched 4.0 innings allowing just one earned run on two hits, four strike outs. The lone Lion run came in the ninth inning when the game was already out of reach.
 
The Cardinals didn't take long to get their bats going Sunday. After plating a run on a fielder's choice in the top of the second, the Red and White broke the game open with six runs in the third.
 
Big Red loaded the basses in the top half of the third for River Orsak who drew a walk following a six-pitch at-bat, but before Orsak walked Kanin Dodge came around to score on a wild pitch. The Cards' second run of the inning also scored on a wild pitch – which was also ball four to Orsak. The Lions would be hurt by four wild pitches in the inning (six in the game).
 
With one out in the inning, Ethan Ruiz took a 2-1 pitch through the left side scoring one. After a pitching change, Luke Bumpus recorded an RBI on a walk – the second of the inning. The other two runs came following Peyton Sanderson getting hit by a pitch followed by another wild pitch.
 
The six-run inning was more than enough for the pitching staff as Lamar sat North Alabama down in order in the next three innings. The Lions didn't have another baserunner until the bottom half of the sixth which came on a one-out walk. UNA managed to load the bases, but Zak Williams was able to get out of the inning with a double-play ball of the bat of Jackson Ferrigno.
 
The pitching woes for the Lions continued in the fifth inning when Ruiz scored on a wild pitch. Big Red also tacked on a ninth-inning run off the bat of Cameron Yadon.
 
The Lions were able to get on the scoreboard in their half of the ninth by taking advantage of a couple walks and a hit batter. LU's bullpen quickly shut down any thoughts of a rally by getting the next three batters in order.
 
The Cardinals posted a 2-1 record in the season-opening tournament and will now turn their focus to a midweek contest at Baylor. The game against the Bears is slated for a 4 p.m. first pitch from Baylor Ballpark.