BEAUMONT, Texas - Friday night's opener for Lamar University's baseball team against the University of the Pacific didn't start for five hours due to a torrential downpour of rain. When the first pitch was delivered at 9:35 PM, the game turned into a pitcher's duel for seven-and-a-half innings until LU overcame a 1-0 deficit to score three times in the eighth for a 3-1 victory. The Cardinals are now 13-4 overall.
Brooks Caple got the start for the Cardinals and delivered 7.0 innings allowing one run on four hits with 10 strikeouts. Austin Neal got the win in relief allowing one hit in the final 2.0 innings while recording one strikeout.
On offense, the hero was Austin Roccaforte, who delivered a two-run homer as one of his two hits for the game. Zak Skinner, Drake Varnado, and Tanner Wilson would also have a hit in the game.
Big Red had two early chances to get on the board only to leave runners stranded in both the first and second innings. Caple held the Tigers down for five scoreless frames while allowing two hits. Pacific's starter, Ethan Shaver allowed three hits in five scoreless innings.
But the Tigers broke through in the sixth inning as a leadoff single from Tony Otis followed by a stolen base and advancement to third on a throwing error would lead to an RBI single from Jack Metcho to make it 1-0.
Though the Tigers went to the bullpen after a leadoff hit by pitch to Skinner in the bottom of the frame, the Cardinals were held in check.
In the bottom of the eighth, Skinner drew a one-out walk and was lifted for pinch runner Payton Sanderson. One out later, Sanderson would advance to third on two wild pitches with Ruiz at the plate. Ruiz chopped one to third and the Tigers third baseman committed an error on what would've been the inning's final out that scored Sanderson to tie the game. Roccaforte stepped up to deliver his first homer of the season sparking LU to a 3-1 lead.
The Tigers threatened with a two-out double in the ninth to bring up the tying run. Neal ended any Pacific threat with a strikeout to end the game.
The Cardinals and Tigers will have a doubleheader tomorrow. The first game will start at 1:00 PM.
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