BEAUMONT, Texas – Makenzie Wright delivered three clutch RBIs in a 10-5 victory in game two of Tuesday's doubleheader against Northwestern State as Lamar University bounced back from dropping game one, 6-2, to come away with the split.
Isabella Flores and Cala Wilson (RBI) recorded a pair of hits in game one's loss, while Sicily Windham doubled in the fifth inning. Reagan Smith pitched five innings but was hit with the loss after allowing three runs and striking out three batters.
Wright was one of three Cardinals with two hits in game two, along with Flores and Cimara-lei Wessling (two RBIs). Riley Whitley also recorded a pair of RBIs with a hit and a walk. Starting pitcher Madison Guidry lasted 2.1 innings allowing four runs on five hits. Reliever Mallory Pitre earned the victory with 4.2 innings of one-run, four-hit ball and two strikeouts.
Game 1: Northwestern State 6, LU 2
After three scoreless frames from both sides, the Demons took the lead in the top of the fourth on an error during a stolen-base attempt. LU's was held hitless until its half of the fourth when Flores drew a walk and Wilson singled her to second, but the rally was on a groundout.
NSU extended its lead to three in the sixth with a two-run double. The Cardinals managed to scratch across two runs as Wilson singled in Flores while pinch runner Kinlee McGuire came in on a wild pitch. The Demons picked up three insurance runs in the seventh and held off an LU rally to take the opening game.
Game 2: LU 10, Northwestern State 5
After NSU took the early 1-0 lead in the first, the Cardinals evened the score with Whitley's second-inning RBI single. Down 4-1 in the third, LU's bats finally got to work, scoring nine runs over its final four at-bats. Big Red plated four runs in the third, including a two-run double from Wessling and the go-ahead single from Wright.
In the fourth, Ariel Flores doubled in Isabella Flores and Whitley drew a bases-loaded walk to put the Cardinals up, 7-4. The Demons plated a run in the fifth to get within two, but Hess' RBI groundout and a two-run sixth-inning single from Wright put the game out of reach.
LU will look to clinch the series Wednesday in the rubber match, which will start at 2 p.m. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.
#PeckEmCards
