BEAUMONT, Texas – For just the third time this season, Lamar University dropped a home contest falling to Rice, 8-6, Wednesday evening at Vincent-Beck Stadium. The Owls put up four runs in the second inning and never surrendered the lead as LU falls to 34-9 on the season and 21-3 at home.
 
Trhea Morse (4-1) suffered his first loss of the season after allowing five runs on six hits in two innings of work. He also walked a couple of Owls with a strikeout. He was one of eight Cardinals to pitch on the night.
 
The Cardinals ended the night with six runs on five hits and were charged with an error. Lamar scored two runs in the third, fifth and sixth innings. Rice scored eight runs on 15 hits with four in the second, one in the third, two in the fifth and one more in the sixth.
 
Brayden Evans and Austin Roccaforte ended the night with two-hit games. Evans was 2-for-3 with a double, home run, 2 RBIs and 2 runs, while Roccaforte was 2-for-4 with an RBI.
 
The Owls scored the first five runs of the game before Lamar started to chip away at the lead. LU got two runs back in the third inning. Kanin Dodge led off the inning with a walk and moments after advancing to second on a wild pitch he was able to jog home when Evans took a 3-1 pitch over the right field wall trimming the deficit to three, 5-2.
 
Rice built the advantage back to five after a two-run top of the fifth, but the Cards would respond immediately. Lamar loaded the bases without the benefit of a hit – a walk and two hit batters. Zak Skinner hit into a double play, but LU was able to push a run across. The second run of the inning scored on a single to left off the bat of Roccaforte.
 
After Rice scored one in the top of the sixth, Big Red answered with two more runs in the home half. Lamar took advantage of a wild pitch on a strikeout to get the first runner aboard. With one out in the inning, the Owls hit Dodge, then walked Evans to load the bases. Tanner Wilson then worked a 3-2 count on seven pitches only to be hit himself. Moments later River Orsak hit a sacrifice fly to center driving in the second run of the inning pulling Lamar within two, 8-6, but the Cardinals could get no closer as neither team could score in their final three at-bats.
 
The Cardinals return to the diamond Friday when they host Northwestern State in Southland Conference action. Game one against the Demons is slated for a 6 p.m. first pitch. The game will be broadcast live on Newstalk 560 KLVI and streamed live on ESPN+.