BEAUMONT, Texas — Chris Olivier became the first Cardinal pitcher since 2021 to record a complete-game shutout, tossing a two-hitter to lead Lamar University to a 5-0 victory over Northwestern State on Friday night at Vincent‑Beck Stadium.

The last complete game by an LU pitcher came in 2023, when Hunter Hesseltine allowed one earned run in a 6-1 win over Incarnate Word.

Trevin Michael recorded the program's most recent complete-game shutout prior to Olivier, throwing a four-hitter in a 6-0 win over New Orleans at home on May 14, 2021.

Olivier has posted double-digit strikeouts in four of his six starts at home.

For the second time at home since Game 3 against UIW, Lamar scored three or more runs in the first inning.

Tab Tracy opened the frame with a leadoff single up the middle and moved to second on a fielding error by the center fielder.

Tracy later advanced to third on a passed ball before scoring on an RBI groundout by Lane Sparks.

Hector Rodriguez reached on an error by the shortstop, and Theo Kummer followed with an infield single.

Kevin Duran and Braden Benton then delivered back‑to‑back two-out RBI singles to cap the scoring and give the Cardinals a 3-0 lead.

After Brooks Leonard opened the game with a leadoff single in the first inning, Olivier retired 14 consecutive batters before Northwestern State recorded its second hit on a leadoff single in the sixth.

The first two times the Demons put a runner on base, the Cardinals erased the threat with double plays.

Lane Sparks extended LU's lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the fifth with a one-out solo home run that sailed 370-feet over the wall in right field.

Olivier allowed no further hits, retiring 11 of his final 12 batters and facing just 28 hitters — one over the minimum.

The Cardinals pushed across their final run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly to right by Rodriguez that scored Tracy after a leadoff double and sacrifice bunt from Beau Durbin.

RECORDS: LU (20-18, 12-7); Northwestern State (23-15, 14-8)

GAME NOTES

• Olivier improved to 5-2 after a tossing a two-hitter with 11 strikeouts and one walk.
• Olivier lowered his ERA to 1.76 while he now has 80 strikeouts in 61.1 innings pitched.
• Olivier's ERA is the sixth-lowest recorded in a single-season, surpassing Brian Sanches (1.82 in 1999).
• Tracy finished 3 for 5 with two singles, a double and a stolen base. Tracy recorded his team-leading 13th multi-hit game, 50th hit and 15th stolen base of the season.
• Duran went 2 for 4 with two singles and an RBI.
• Sparks extended his on-base streak to 11 games going 1 for 3 with a home run, a walk, stolen base and two RBIs.
• A.J. Taylor had two singles to go 2 for 4, recording his 12th multi-hit game.
• Durbin finished 1 for 4 with a single to extend his hitting streak to six games and on-base streak to seven.
• Benton went 1 for 4 with a single and an RBI.
• Kummer recorded a single to go 1 for 3 with a walk. Kummer extended his on-base streak to seven games and his hitting streak to five games.

UP NEXT

The series continues with Game 2 at 1:05 p.m. Saturday, April 18.