BATON ROUGE, La. – Cimara-lei Wessling recorded three extra-base hits against Illinois Saturday as Lamar University earned its second win over the Fighting Illini, 5-2 at the LSU Tiger Classic.

Wessling collected a double, triple and home run while driving in two runs for the game to lead the Cardinals. Cala Wilson picked up two hits while she, Ava Blakely and Riley Whitley (HR) picked up an RBI. Reagan Smith went the distance to earn the win while allowing two runs on six hits and six strikeouts.

LU threatened early in the top of the first inning by loading the bases, but a double play killed off the rally. A solo blast gave Illinois the 1-0 lead in the second inning. The Cardinals answered with back-to-back homers by Whitley and Wessling in the top of the third to lead 2-1.

In the fifth, Whitley led off with a walk and came in to score on a Wessling triple. Wilson brought Wessling in with a single to make it 4-1. Illinois scored one in the sixth and had the go-ahead run at the plate before a flyout to left ended the frame. The Cardinals loaded the bases in the seventh but added an insurance run from Blakely's RBI groundout. That was enough for Smith to retire the side and finish the victory.

The Cardinals will close out their time in Baton Rouge with games against Nevada (10 a.m.) and No. 13 LSU (3 p.m.). While the game with Nevada will be on ESPN+, the game with LSU will be on the SEC Network.