BEAUMONT, Texas – After being held scoreless through the first six innings, Lamar University rallied for two runs in the seventh to tie the game, and scored one in the eighth to grab the lead and would close things out in the ninth for the win.
 
Winners in 10 of their last 12 contests, LU improves to 33-8 on the season and remains in first place of the Southland Conference standings with an 11-3 record.
 
Lamar scored its three runs on eight hits but was charged with two errors while San Antonio's version of the Cardinals scored two runs on six hits and also had two errors.
 
Six different Cardinals recorded hits Saturday led by multi-hit efforts from Kanin Dodge (2-for-4, RBI, run) and Drake Varnado (2-for-4). Brayden Evans finished the night with one hit (1-for-3), but it was a double down the right field line to get the scoring started for LU.
 
Senior Jacob Ellis got the start for Lamar and pitched 5.1 innings allowing just one first inning run on five hits with three strikeouts and two walks. He was one of four LU pitchers to take the mound Saturday. Jackson Cleveland came on in relief in the eighth inning and pitched a scoreless frame to get the win, while Andres Perez closed things out in the ninth for his sixth save of the season.
 
Isaiah Zavala got the start for UIW and went 7.0 innings allowing two runs on seven hits with three strikeouts and three walks.
 
UIW carried a 2-0 lead into the bottom half of the seventh inning after scoring solo runs in the second and seventh innings. After being shut down in the first six innings, the Red and White got to Zavala in the seventh.
 
Dodge got things started with an infield hit, Jack Schell followed up by reaching on an error to the UIW second baseman. Evans took the first pitch he saw past the first baseman doubling home Schell to end the shutout. Two batters later, Zack Skinner lined one back up the middle which ricocheted off the pitcher's glove which allowed the short stop to make a play on the ball, but LU was still able to take advantage as Schell came home on the play.
 
With the game now tied at two, Cleveland came on and prevented UIW from being able to rally in the top of the eighth. He got the first two UIW batters out on four pitches but hit Tony DeJesus, who was left stranded at first when Ryan Scott flied out to right field to end the inning.
 
Roccaforte got things in the Lamar half of the eighth with a leadoff walk. He eventually moved around to third on a double off the bat of Varnado. Roccaforte came home on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Dodge for what would be not only the go-ahead run but the eventual game winner.
 
The Cardinals turned to Perez in the ninth inning, and he shut the door for his sixth save of the season, and Lamar's conference leading 15^th save of the year.
 
The Cardinals will go in search of the series sweep Sunday when they return to the diamond for game three. The final game of the series is set for a 1 p.m. first pitch. It will be streamed live on ESPN+ and broadcast live in Newstalk 560 KLVI.