NEW ORLEANS, La. – Lamar University rallied from an early 5-0 deficit to tie the game but New Orleans managed to reclaim the lead and hold a ninth-inning rally to defeat the Cardinals, 8-6, Friday afternoon at Maestri Field. Despite the loss, the Cardinals (41-13/17-7 SLC) have locked up at least a share of the Southland Conference regular-season title.
 
Big Red must now wait for Nicholls to play its final two games to see if they will claim the outright title or share the crown. If the Colonels lose one of their two remaining games (vs. McNeese) LU will win the title outright.
 
The Cardinals scored six runs on 11 hits Friday with five runs coming in the fourth and one more in the ninth. UNO plated eight runs on 10 hits with their runs coming in the second (five), fifth (2) and eighth (1).
 
Hunter Hesseltine (6-3) got the start but took the loss after surrendering seven runs on eight hits in 4.2 innings. He did strike out one batter. Hesseltine was one of three Cardinals to take the mound during the series finale.
 
Cortez Dennis got the win for the Privateers after pitching 4.0 innings in relief with four strikeouts. He was one of five pitchers to take the mound for New Orleans.
 
Eight different Cardinals recorded hits led by three players who had multi-hit games. Logan Hamm was 2-for-4 with a home run and two runs scored, while Austin Roccaforte was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Zak Skinner came on in a pinch-hitting role in the third inning and went 2-for-2 at the plate with a double and an RBI.  
 
UNO jumped out to a big lead with a five-run second inning, but just like the Cardinals have done so many times this season, LU battled right back. Friday Lamar did it all in one inning as they answered back with five runs on six hits.
 
The Cardinals led off the inning with four-straight singles from River Orsak, Logan Hamm, Jack Schell and Austin Roccaforte, with Roccaforte driving in the first run (scoring Orsak). The second run of the inning came around on a wild pitch. Ruiz kept the hit parade going with an infield single before Drake Varnado brought the next run home on a sacrifice fly to center.
 
Zak Skinner then came in as a pinch hitter and doubled to right scoring Roccaforte. Four pitches later Kanin Dodge closed out the scoring in the in top of the fourth with a grounder to short scoring Ruiz.
 
Unfortunately, Lamar wouldn't score against until the top of the ninth and not before UNO had tacked on three more runs. The Cardinals final run came off the bat of Logan Hamm who led off the inning with a solo shot to right.
 
The Cardinals will wait for the final two games between McNeese and Nicholls to determine their seed in the tournament. Having already secured a share of the conference title, Lamar will be no worse than the two seed, but with one more Nicholls loss the Cardinals can claim the top spot.