BEAUMONT, Texas — Two of the last three meetings between Lamar and Nicholls went into extra innings.

On Friday night during Game 1, that trend continued.

With the game tied at 4-4 in the 10th inning, Hector Rodriguez delivered a high-chopping single over the first baseman for the walk off hit at Vincent-Beck Stadium.

This was the fifth extra inning game for LU and the third walk off win in the last five days.

The Cardinals struck first in the bottom of the first when Brayden Evans drilled a triple off the top of the wall in right center with one out.

Heladio Moreno hit a sacrifice fly to left to drive in Evans.

Nicholls tied up the game in the top of the third with a two-out RBI single up the middle by Chase Jans.

LU pushed across two runs in the bottom half of the third as Zak Skinner brought in Evans on a groundout to short.

Zane Spinn then hit a double through the right side of the infield to make the score 3-1.

The Colonels answered back by scoring two runs in the top of the fourth after an RBI single through the left side by Noah Detillier and an RBI double to right off the bat of Fisher Ingersoll.

Aaron Biediger gave Nicholls a 4-3 lead in the top of the fifth with an RBI single to center.

LU tied up the score in the bottom of the seventh. Damian Ruiz hit a double to center and advanced to third on a single to left center by Moreno.

With runners at the corners, Skinner hit the game-tying RBI single to right.

Peyton Havard struck out the side as he came out of the bullpen in the top of the sixth. He went on to retire nine batters in a row.

Setting up the bottom of the 10th, Matt Ryan reached after being hit by a pitch. Kameryn Henderson came off the bench to pinch run for Ryan.

Henderson stole second on the first pitch.

Connor Kaiser then drew a walk. Both Kaiser and Henderson advanced to second and third on a wild pitch.

Nicholls decided to intentionally walk Bryce Grizzaffi to load up the bases.

Rodriguez then did his job by delivering the single.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Moreno finished 3 for 4 with two singles, a double and an RBI.
• Skinner had a single and two RBIs to go 1 for 5.
• Spinn went 2 for 5 with a single, double and an RBI.
• Easton Culp tallied two singles to go 2 for 4.
• Evans had a triple and a walk to finish 1 for 4.
• Rodriguez finished 1 for 4 with a single, walk and an RBI.
• Reese Beheler had a single to go 1 for 4.
• Ruiz extended his on base streak to 35 games and his hitting streak to 18 games by going 1 for 4 with a double and a walk.
• Riely Hunsaker threw five innings with six strikeouts.
• Havard finished with 11 strikeouts in five innings of relief to improve to 5-1. He allowed one hit and walked one batter.
• Havard matched his season-high of 11 strikeouts which was originally set on Feb. 21 against UAlbany.
• The LU pitching staff finished with a game-high 17 strikeouts, surpassing the season-high of 16 set against New Mexico State on March 12.

UP NEXT

Game 2 is set for 5 p.m. Saturday, April 12.