THIBODAUX, La. – After trailing by five runs heading into the second inning, Lamar University mounted a rally that saw Jack Schell hit a two-run home run – his first of the season – to give LU a two-run lead. Lamar closed the door on Nicholls in the bottom of the 10th, 9-7, to even the series. It was the second consecutive game that went to extras in the series.
 
Schell was allowed to play the role of hero because Logan Hamm smacked a pinch-hit three-run blast in the top of the eight to tie the game at 7. The victory moves LU to 38-11 overall and 15-5 in conference play. LU moves 2.0 games back in front of Nicholls in the standings.
 
Lamar finished the night with nine runs on 11 hits, while Nicholls scored seven runs on 12 hits with an error. The Cardinals scored one run in the first, two in the third, one in the fourth, three in the eighth and two the 10^th. Nicholls did the majority of its damage in the first scoring six in their opening frame followed by one in the third.
 
Seven Cardinals recorded hits Saturday led by multi-hit games from Kanin Dodge (3-for-5, RBI, 2 runs), Zak Skinner (2-for-4, RBI, run) and Austin Roccaforte (2-for-4, run). River Orsak ended the night 1-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs.
 
After Nicholls six-run first inning, LU's staff held the Colonels to one run on seven hits the rest of the way. Austin Neal (3-1) pitched the final 2.1 innings striking out three to pick up the win.
 
Nicholls' six-run first came after Lamar opened the game with a run in the top of the first. Dodge led off the game with a double to left center on a 2-1 pitch. He was moved over to third before coming home on a sacrifice fly off the bat of River Orsak. Unfortunately, Nicholls responded with six runs on five hits to take a five-run lead.
 
Lamar battled back to cut the deficit in half in the third with two runs on two hits. With two outs and Dodge on second, Orsak took a 1-2 pitch down the right field line for a double scoring Dodge. Orsak came home moments later when Drake Varnado doubled to center. Nicholls managed to put the lead back to three with a run in the bottom half of the inning.
 
The score remained 7-4 until the top of the eighth when the Cardinals rallied for three runs on three hits. After Orsak led off the inning on an error by the third baseman, Zak Skinner singled him to second. Logan Hamm came on to blast a pinch-hit home run to tie the game at 7.
 
Nicholls threatened in their half of the eighth loading the bases with two outs but Austin Neal worked through the jam to hang a zero on the scoreboard. It was the same scenario but in reverse in the top of the ninth as Lamar loaded the bases with one out but came away empty.
 
After shutting Nicholls down in the ninth, the Cardinals wasted no time in the 10^th. Roccaforte was hit by a pitch and to bring up Schell who ambushed the first pitch he saw over the right field wall to give the Cards a two-run lead – a lead they would not surrender.
 
The Cardinals return to the diamond Sunday looking to take the series. Game three is set for a 1 p.m. first pitch from Ray Didier Field in Thibodaux.