CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Lamar University outlasted Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in a wild, back-and-forth affair Sunday afternoon, scoring nine runs over the final two innings to pull out an 18-15 extra-inning victory at Chapman Field.

LU won its first series in Corpus Christi since 2018.

The Cardinals jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning.

Hector Rodriguez opened the scoring with a two‑run home run to deep right field after Tab Tracy's two‑out single.

The inning continued when Brayden Evans singled to shallow center, setting the stage for Kevin Duran's two‑run blast to right.

LU added four more runs in the top of the second inning.

Braden Benton opened the frame with a leadoff single to third, followed by Beau Durbin's one‑out single to left.

A.J. Taylor worked a four‑pitch walk to load the bases, and Benton scored on a wild pitch.

Tracy and Rodriguez then drew back‑to‑back walks before Duran delivered a clutch two‑RBI single to right, extending LU's lead to 8-0.

The Islanders broke the shutout in the bottom of the second inning.

Hunter Azemar led off with a double to right and moved to third on a wild pitch, setting up an RBI groundout by Jayden Reynolds.

A&M‑Corpus Christi then put two more runners aboard with a hit by pitch and Karson Krowka's single to right.

Isaiah Afework followed with a two‑run triple to left‑center to bring the Islanders closer.

Momentum shifted to the Islanders in the bottom of the fourth inning as they sent 13 batters to the plate and scored seven runs to take a 10-8 lead.

Jake Flaggert and Reynolds each delivered two‑RBI singles to highlight the rally.

The Cardinals trimmed the deficit to one run in the top of the sixth inning with an RBI single through the right side by Evans.

A&M‑Corpus Christi responded with two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning on a Jackson Smith double to right field.

The Islanders added three more runs in the bottom of the eighth inning, highlighted by a leadoff solo home run from Afework and RBI singles by Azemar and Reynolds.

LU had to overcome adversity when head coach Will Davis was ejected in the eighth.

Trailing by six runs, the Cardinals rallied to tie the game at 15-15 in the top of the ninth inning.

The first three batters drew walks to load the bases, setting up Durbin's RBI single.

Taylor followed with an RBI fielder's choice to shortstop, and Tracy and Rodriguez continued the rally with back‑to‑back RBI singles.

Tracy scored on a wild pitch to trim the deficit to one before Duran followed with a game‑tying RBI double to right field.

The Cardinals scored three runs in the top of the 10th inning to take an 18-15 lead.

Durbin led off the frame with a walk, followed by back‑to‑back singles from Taylor and Tracy to set up Cade Pregeant's RBI infield single to shortstop.

Evans then drove in a run on a fielder's choice to second, and Duran capped the inning with his fifth RBI on a single through the left side.

RECORDS: LU (14-10, 8-4); A&M-Corpus Christi (11-12, 1-7)

GAME NOTES

• Both teams combined for 33 runs and 36 hits while they used 17 pitchers.
• Six Cardinals tallied a multi-hit night.
• Duran finished 4 for 7 with two singles, a double, home run and six RBIs.
• Rodriguez went 3 for 5 with two singles, a home run, a walk and four RBIs.
• Tracy extended his on base streak to 15 games and hitting streak to six games going 3 for 6 with three singles, a walk, stolen base and an RBI.
• Durbin tallied his 10th multi-hit game while extending his hit streak to eight games, finishing 2 for 5 with two singles, two walks and an RBI.
• Evans went 2 for 7 with two singles and two RBIs.
• Benton had two singles to go 2 for 3 with a walk.
• Taylor extended his hitting streak to five games finishing 1 for 5 with a single, two walks and an RBI.
• Pregeant finished 1 for 1 with a single and an RBI in his second at-bat of the season.
• The Cardinals have hit 12 home runs this season, 11 coming on the road.
• The LU pitching staff combined for 11 strikeouts.
• Blayne Fritcher improved to 2-2 after throwing two scoreless innings with two strikeouts.

UP NEXT

The Cardinals host Tarleton State at 6:05 p.m. Tuesday, March 24.