LAKE CHARLES, La. - Lamar University (29-26) broke out its bats to a 6-1 lead before holding on for a 6-5 win over East Texas A&M in Friday's elimination game in the Lake Charles portion of the Southland Conference tournament. LU's 29 wins are the third most in program history.

Jayne Sepulveda and Kalie Amos recorded two hits to lead the Cardinals' offense. Veronica Harrison and Cala Wilson drove in two runs apiece while Trinity Brandon and Sicily Windham added an RBI. Madison Guidry earned the win with six innings, allowing five runs on eight hits and striking out five batters. Mallory Pitre came in to pick up her fourth save despite conceding a hit.

A weather delay halted the first pitch by 15 minutes. While the Cardinals stranded two runners in the second, LU loaded the bases with nobody out before the scoring began. Harrison sent one to left that scored Hess before Wilson doubled in two runs. Windham made it 4-0 with a single to center that scored Wilson. The Lions scratched out a run on a fourth-inning bases-loaded walk, but LU responded in its half of the fourth with a Brandon RBI-double.

ETAMU started the fifth inning with two singles. That was when Amos, who replaced Windham, fielded three straight outs, including a double play to end the inning. A massive insurance run came in the sixth as Harrison singled in Hess to increase the lead to 6-1. The Lions refused to go away as they scored four runs to claw within one and had the tying run on second with one out. Fortunately, Pitre retired the last two batters to send LU a trip to the next elimination game.

The Cardinals will take on the loser of No. 1 McNeese/No. 4 UIW Saturday at 3 p.m. Should LU win that game, it would take on the winner at 6 p.m.
 

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