BEAUMONT, Texas — Behind 12 hits and a nine-run fifth, the Lamar University Cardinals pulled out the brooms to sweep Nicholls after a 16-5 victory in seven innings Sunday afternoon at Vincent-Beck Stadium.

The Cardinals improved to 20-2 at home. LU's .909 winning percentage at home is the best in program history, surpassing the highest mark of .893 set in 1993. LU also becomes the seventh team in the country to win 30 games.

Nicholls jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on an RBI groundout by Chase Jans.

LU tied up the score in the bottom half of the first after an RBI groundout to second by Zak Skinner.

To start the bottom of the second, three of the first four batters reached on a walk. Damian Ruiz then drew a bases-loaded walk to give the Cards the lead.

Brayden Evans cleared the bases with a clutch three-RBI triple to center.

Heladio Moreno brought in the final run of the inning with an RBI groundout to short.

Ruiz extended LU's lead to 7-1 with a two-out RBI single up the middle in the bottom of the third.

Nicholls cut the lead to three runs in the top of the fourth after three RBI singles.

The Cards sent 14 batters to the plate in the bottom of the fifth as the floodgates opened.

Tab Tracy drew a leadoff walk and then stole second. Bryce Grizzaffi was hit by a pitch and then Reese Beheler reached on a bunt single to load up the bases.

Ruiz delivered an RBI single to center. Evans followed up by driving in a run on a fielder's choice to first.

Moreno drew a bases-loaded walk to make the score 10-4.

Skinner brought in two runs with a single through the right side. Moreno later scored after Zane Spinn grounded out into a double play.

LU pulled off the double steal as Matt Ryan stole home to extend the lead to 10 runs.

Grizzaffi kept the onslaught going by hitting an RBI single through the left side. Beheler then followed up with an RBI double to left center.

The Cardinals had six hits in the fifth inning rally.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Evans finished 1 for 4 with a triple, a walk and a game-high four RBIs. Evans had two triples in the series.
• Skinner went 3 for 4 with two singles, a double and three RBIs to extend his hit streak to six games. Skinner had six RBIs in the series.
• Ruiz extended his on base streak to 37 games and his hitting streak to 20 games as he went 2 for 2 with two singles, two walks and three RBIs.
• Since 2010, the third-longest hitting streak recorded by a Cardinal is 20 games (Avery George, 2019).
• Beheler had a single, double and a walk to go 2 for 3 with an RBI.
• Tracy finished 1 for 2 with a single, two walks, two stolen bases and three runs scored.
• Grizzaffi went 1 for 1 with a single, a walk, three runs scored and an RBI.
• Carter Sutton improved to 5-0 after he went 3.2 innings allowing four earned runs with one strikeout.
• Austin Neal struck out three batters and allowed one hit in 1.1 innings of relief.
• Fabian Ramirez did not allow a run in two innings of relief.

UP NEXT

LU travels to Huntsville for a midweek contest against Sam Houston at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 15.