Box Score HAMMOND, La. – Lamar University scored eight runs on seven hits and held Northwestern State off the scoreboard for the first five innings posting a 12-5 victory to advance to the third day of the Southland Conference Championships.
 
The Cardinals (42-14) finished the day with 12 runs on 12 hits, while NSU scored five runs on nine hits with two errors. The Cardinals scored eight runs in the second inning and followed up with one in the fifth and sixth innings and two more in the eighth. Northwestern State scored two in the sixth, one in the seventh and two more in the eighth.
 
Lamar went with Jacob Ellis (8-1) on the mound and the senior went 5.1 allowing just two runs on six hits with four strikeouts to pick up the victory. He gave way to Foster Kreuzer who came on in the sixth and got two outs on two pitches. Kyle Moseley closed out the game pitching a scoreless 1.1 innings striking out two.
 
Dawson Flowers got the start but only lasted an inning as Lamar chased him from the game with seven runs on five hits in the second inning. Flowers was one of four Demons to pitch Thursday.
 
Eight different Cardinals recorded hits including two-hit games from Brayden Evans (2-for-5, 2 HRs and 4 RBIs), River Orsak (2-for-5, 2B, HR, 2 runs), Zak Skinner (2-for-5, run) and Logan Hamm (2-for-5, run). Jack Schell had one hit which he took over the wall for his second homer of the season.
 
The Cardinals broke the game open in the bottom half of the second inning with eight runs on seven hits as 12 men came to the plate in the inning. Lamar led off the inning by loading the bases with no outs. The first run of the game came on a bloop over the outstretched arm of the first baseman.
 
The Cardinals followed with a Ruiz single to left center, Varnado drove in a run on a fielder's choice, followed a Dodge double to left field. Evans closed out the inning with a three-run blast to right field to make it an eight run-inning.
 
The Lamar lead was 9-0 before NSU got on the scoreboard. The Demons scored two in the sixth but the momentum didn't last as Lamar answered with a run in its half of the sixth. That was the theme down the stretch as Northwestern would score in the top half of the sixth, seventh and eighth innings but Lamar would answer with solo runs in the fifth, sixth and a two-spot in the eighth to keep the Demons at bay and close out a seven-run victory.
 
The Cardinals now advance to Friday where they will face the loser of the No. 5 McNeese vs. No. 8 UIW game. Big Red is slated for a 9 a.m. first pitch from Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field. The game will be broadcast live on Newstalk 560 KLVI and streamed live on ESPN+.