BEAUMONT, Texas — Lamar University extended its winning streak to five games with a 9-3 victory over McNeese in Game 1 of the best-of-three Southland Conference championship series Thursday night at Vincent-Beck Stadium.
The Cardinals' pitching staff also made history, setting a program single season record with 493 strikeouts, surpassing the previous mark of 491 set in 2025.
McNeese struck first in the second inning on a first-pitch solo home run to left by Hayden Stringfellow for a 1-0 lead.
LU answered in the bottom half when
Balin Valentine delivered a two-out RBI single up the middle.
A.J. Taylor gave LU the lead in the third with a first-pitch solo homer to left.
Tab Tracy extended the advantage in the fourth with a two-out, two-run home run to right-center, making it 4-1.
The Cardinals broke it open in the fifth with a two-out rally.
Brayden Evans started the surge with an RBI single to shallow center, followed by two runs scoring on a McNeese error.
Beau Durbin and Taylor added back-to-back RBI singles to cap the frame.
On the mound,
Travis Lutz retired seven consecutive batters at one point, including striking out the side in the fourth inning.
McNeese added two runs in the seventh on an RBI double to right center by Connor Walker and a sacrifice fly from Korey Cooper.
RECORDS: LU (33-25); McNeese (31-25)
GAME NOTES
- LU out-hit McNeese, 15-7.
- The Cardinals' pitching staff finished with 13 strikeouts.
- Lutz improved to 4-2 after he struck out a season-high 10 batters in seven innings pitched.
- Cooper Carlgren tossed two hitless innings of relief with three strikeouts.
- Five LU batters had a multi-hit night.
- Taylor went 3 for 5 with a single, double, home run and two RBIs. He leads the team with seven home runs.
- Jake Wagoner finished 3 for 5 with three singles, a run scored and a stolen base. Wagoner is 11 for 20 (.550) in his last five games while he now leads the team with a .342 average.
- Hector Rodriguez had three singles and a run scored to go 3 for 5. Rodriguez is 7 for 13 (.538) in his last three games.
- Tracy finished 2 for 5 with a single, home run, two runs scored and two RBIs. Tracy is on a six-game hitting streak with nine hits and five RBIs during the span.
- Valentine went 2 for 4 with two singles, two runs scored and an RBI. He has seven hits and four RBIs in his last five games.
- Evans finished 1 for 4 with a single, run scored and an RBI.
- Durbin has now reached base safely in 11 consecutive games. He finished 1 for 3 with a single, two walks and an RBI.
UP NEXT
The series continues with Game 2 at 6 p.m. Friday, May 22.
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