BEAUMONT, Texas – Senior pitcher Hunter Hesseltine pitched 6.2 innings allowing just two runs – one earned – on three hits with four strike outs as Lamar University defeated Southeastern Louisiana, 8-2, Sunday afternoon at Vincent-Beck Stadium. Hesseltine improves to 4-0 with the victory, while Lamar jumps to 29-6 (.828) overall and remains in first place of the Southland standings with an 8-1 (.889) league record.
 
The victory also marked the 200^th career win for head coach Will Davis.
 
Hesseltine was one of three Cardinals to take the mound for the Red and White Sunday. Peyton Havard pitched two-thirds of an inning allowing no runs on no hits, while Andres Perez pitched the final 1.2 giving up just two hits with three strikeouts. As a staff, the Cardinals recorded seven strikeouts.
 
The Cardinals scored eight runs on seven hits, while Southeastern Louisiana ended the day with two runs on five hits. Lamar did its damage with two in the third, five in the fifth and one more in the sixth inning, while SLU scored solo runs in the third and fifth.
 
Four Cardinals collected hits led by multi-hit efforts from Kanin Dodge (3-for-5, 2 RBIs, 2 runs) and Drake Varnado (2-for-4, HR, 2 RBIs) who recorded his second home run of the series.
 
The Lions sent Lakin Polk to the mound and he gave the Lions 3.0 innings allowing three runs on two hits with three strikeouts. He was relieved in the fourth inning by Lance Lauve who surrendered four runs on one hit in two-thirds of an inning. Southeastern sent four pitchers to the mound Sunday.
 
The Lions took the first lead of the day scoring a run in the top of the third. SLU had runners on first and third when a failed pickoff attempt got away from the LU first baseman allowing a run to score.
 
The momentum was short lived for the Southeastern as the Cards fought right back in the bottom half of the inning. After Jack Schell drew an eight-pitch walk, Varnado crushed the second pitch he saw over the left field wall to give LU a one-run lead.
 
The offense didn't stop there as they would come right back in the fourth inning to tack on five runs on three hits to build an eight-run lead. The Lions never seriously threatened after the fourth.
 
The Cardinals return to action Friday, April 19^th when they travel to Corpus Christi, Texas to take on the Islanders. Game one is slated for a 6 p.m. first pitch.