CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Lamar University gave senior Jacob Ellis six runs to work with and it was more than enough for the Oklahoma native who pitched 7.1 innings allowing just two earned runs on four hits with seven strikeouts and just one walk.
 
With the victory Ellis improves to the 7-0 on the season while the Cardinals improve to 30-7 (.811) overall and 9-2 (.818) in conference play to remain in first place.
 
The Cardinals scored their six runs on 11 hits, while A&M-Corpus Christi scored three runs on eight hits. Lamar scored one run in the first, three in the third and one more in the eighth and ninth innings. The Islanders scored solo runs in the fourth, sixth and eighth innings.
 
Both teams were charged with an error.
 
Seven different Cardinals recorded a hit Saturday led by multi-hit efforts from Kanin Dodge (3-for-4, 2 runs), Brayden Evans (2-for-4, 2 RBIs) and Jack Schell (2-for-4, walk, run). Both Ethan Ruiz and Drake Varnado hit home runs in the contest.
 
Brayden Evans got the scoring stated in the top of the first. After Kanin Dodge led off the game getting hit by a pitch, Evans took the first pitch he saw into right center doubling Dodge home from first.
 
The Cardinals were back on the attack in the very next inning. After the Islanders got the first two batters out, Lamar responded with four consecutive hits – back-to-back homers from Ruiz and Varnado – followed by a single from Dodge and another Evans double to make it 4-0.
 
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi scratched out a run in the fourth and one more in the sixth to trim the LU lead down to two, 4-2.
 
Lamar's lead remained unchanged until the top of the 8^th when Big Red took advantage of some Islander miscues. On what appeared to be the third out of the inning on a grounder to the pitcher, Hill threw the ball past the first baseman allowing a runner to score. The Islanders answered with a run on two hits in the eighth inning, but Lamar got the run right back in the ninth inning. The Cardinals' bullpen shut the Islanders down in the 9^th.
 
Lamar returns to Champman Field Sunday for the rubber game. Game three is set for a 1 p.m. first pitch and will be streamed live on ESPN+.