BEAUMONT, Texas — For the first time since 2003-2004, Lamar University has recorded back-to-back 40-win seasons.
The Cardinals put the finishing touches on the Houston Christian Huskies by sweeping the series with a 17-5 win in seven innings during Game 3 on Saturday afternoon at Vincent-Beck Stadium.
LU finishes the regular season 27-2 home, the best winning percentage at The Beck since 1993.
The Cards have gone 51-6 the last two seasons at home.
LU has won its last 11 games at home, which is tied for the second longest home win streak in the nation.
More importantly, LU secures the third seed in the Southland Conference tournament with a trip to Edinburg on the horizon for a 1 p.m. rematch against sixth-seeded Houston Christian on Thursday, May 15.
LU's offense got hot early by pushing across five runs in the bottom of the second.
Bryce Grizzaffi hit an RBI single to right and then
Damian Ruiz followed up with another RBI single to right.
Matt Ryan crushed a 434-feet three-run home run to straightaway center field to make the score 5-0.
Ruiz scored for the 74th time this season, breaking the single season record for runs scored which was 73 set by Tyler Link in 2009.
The Huskies cut the deficit to two runs in the top of the third with a two-RBI double to left center from Kenneth Dutka and an RBI single to left by Parker Edwards.
Zane Spinn hit a one-out double to right center in the bottom half of the third. Tracy later brought in Spinn on a fielder's choice to second.
Houston Christian clawed its way back to trail by one in the top of the fourth after an RBI single up the middle by Dutka and an RBI single through the left side from Tevis Payne.
Ruiz brought in two runs with a double to right to make the score 8-5 in the bottom of the fifth.
Ryan followed up with an RBI double to right center.
The Cards made the score 12-5 in the bottom of the sixth without tallying a single hit.
Easton Culp drew a walk with the bases loaded while Tracy brought in
Zak Skinner with a fielder's choice to second.
Spinn later scored on a wild pitch.
In the bottom of the seventh,
Reese Beheler hit a one-out RBI single through the right side.
Spinn then belted a 371-feet grand slam off the right field foul pole to end the game courtesy of the 10-run rule.
This is the fourth time this season the Cards win on a walk-off hit via the 10-run rule.
SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT TOP SIX SEEDS
- Southeastern Louisiana (37-14, 22-8 / SLC regular season champions)
- UTRGV (33-16, 22-8)
- Lamar (40-15, 20-10)
- Northwestern State (33-19, 19-11)
- McNeese (32-15, 19-11)
- Houston Christian (26-23, 17-13)
(
Note: New Orleans is in but not seeded yet. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi or Nicholls will claim the final spot.)
BY THE NUMBERS
- Ryan finished 2 for 4 with a double, home run, a stolen base and four RBIs. Ryan has reached base safely in his last 10 games.
- Spinn went 2 for 4 with a double, home run, a walk and four RBIs.
- Ruiz had a single and a double to go 2 for 4 with a walk, a stolen base and three RBIs.
- Beheler finished 2 for 4 with two singles and an RBI.
- Tracy tallied two RBIs to go 1 for 3 with a single and three stolen bases.
- Grizzaffi finished 1 for 2 with a single, two walks and an RBI. Grizzaffi has reached base in 11 straight games.
- Brayden Evans had a double to go 1 for 4 with a walk. He extended his on base streak to 12 games.
- Skinner went 1 for 3 with a single, a walk and two runs scored. Skinner extended his on base streak to 14 games.
- Jayden Shertel improved to 3-0 after striking out two batters in three innings of work.
- Kyle Moseley earned his second save after pitching 3.2 shutout innings with two strikeouts.
- LU is one of seven teams in NCAA Division I with 40 wins, the second most wins in the nation.
- LU is one of three mid-major programs to have 40 or more wins as it joins Northeastern and Coastal Carolina.
UP NEXT
The Cardinals take on Houston Christian at 1 p.m. Thursday, May 15 for Game 1 of the Southland Conference tournament at UTRGV Baseball Stadium in Edinburg.
#PeckEmCards
