BEAUMONT, Texas — Lamar University snapped a three-game losing skid by winning its ninth straight game at home, shutting out the Houston Christian University Huskies, 10-0, in eight innings Thursday night at Vincent-Beck Stadium.

After allowing one hit in the first inning, Riely Hunsaker and the LU pitching staff shut down HCU's offense.

The Huskies only had two other baserunners in the contest. The Cardinal pitchers had retired 22 of the 25 batters they faced.

LU got things going in the bottom of the first when Damian Ruiz reached with a leadoff walk and then stole second.

Matt Ryan was then walked. Both runners later advanced on a botched pickoff attempt by the pitcher.

Reese Beheler brought in Ruiz with a ground out to second.

The Cardinals got a leadoff single from Zane Spinn in the bottom of the second. Easton Culp followed up with a single to right.

Bryce Grizzaffi moved the runners over with a sacrifice bunt to set up the infield RBI single by Tab Tracy.

LU extended its lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the fourth when Tracy put down an RBI bunt single to bring in Spinn.

The Cardinals pushed across three runs in the bottom of the seventh.

Ryan brought in Grizzaffi with a sacrifice fly to right. Tracy later scored after a throwing error by the second baseman.

Beheler then hit an RBI single up the middle to make the score 6-0.

LU had its leadoff batter reach in six of the eight innings.

Spinn led off the eighth with a single to right. Grizzaffi then laid down a bunt single. Tracy was later walked to load up the bases.

Ruiz brought in a run with a fielder's choice to short. Ryan was then walked to load up the bases once again.

Brayden Evans drew a walk to bring in a run, making the score 8-0.

Beheler then delivered the two-RBI single to right field to end the game. This is the third time the Cardinals win on a walk-off hit courtesy of the 10-run rule.

BY THE NUMBERS

• Beheler finished 3 for 5 with three singles, a stolen base and four RBIs. He tallied his 14th multi-hit game while he tied his season-high RBI mark.
• Tracy extended his hitting streak to seven games by going 2 for 2 with two singles, two walks, two stolen bases and two RBIs. Tracy has a team high 15 stolen bases.
• Spinn went 2 for 3 with two singles, three runs scored, a stolen base and an RBI.
• Evans finished 1 for 4 with a single, walk and an RBI.
• Zak Skinner had a single to go 1 for 4 to extend his on base streak to 12 games.
• Ruiz scored his 72nd run of the season. He is now one run shy of tying the single season program record of 73 runs set by Tyler Link in 2009.
• The Cardinals tied their season-high of six stolen bases.
• Hunsaker improved to 4-2 after throwing five shutout innings with five strikeouts.
• Peyton Havard picked up his fifth save after throwing three innings of relief with four strikeouts.
• This was the fifth shutout of the season recorded by the LU pitching staff.

UP NEXT

Game 2 is at 6 p.m. Friday, May 9.