Lamar Splits Twin-bill With UTPA :: Cards back in action at home this weekend against Central Arkansas

March 25, 2008

The Lamar baseball team split a doubleheader with Texas-Pan American at Vincent-Beck Stadium Tuesday. UTPA won the first game, 3-2, and Lamar took the nightcap 11-1 in seven innings.

Lamar is now 15-8 on the season while UTPA is 8-13.

In the first game, UTPA starter Shane Janecka (2-1) threw a complete game and held the Cardinal bats to five hits and just two runs while striking out five. One of his few mistakes came in the bottom of the sixth when he gave up a two-run home run to Lamar catcher Ryan Saldivar which trimmed the Bronc lead to 3-2. From there he retired the final 12 men to keep Lamar off the basepaths.

Matison Smith (0-2) took the loss for Lamar after he allowed a run on five hits in 2.1 innings. UTPA scored single runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings to open up its three-run lead. Lamar committed three errors in the game as well.

For as much of a pitcher's duel the first game was, the second was all about the offense. Lamar knocked UTPA starter Phillip Rodriguez (0-2) out of the game after he allowed five runs on four hits and two walks in just one-third of an inning. The Cardinals added single runs in the second and third as they opened up a 7-1 lead. Two more runs in the fifth and seventh game Lamar its second `run-rule' victory of the season.

Leftfielder Logan Pace made the most of his fourth start of the season by collecting hits in his first three at-bats while scoring once and driving in a run. He mashed his first career triple in the fifth inning and is now hitting .462 in 13 total at-bats.

Every Lamar starter had at least one hit in the second game. In addition to Pace's big night, Anthony Moore, Steven Tucker and Wade Mathis each had two hits. With Mathis and Pace recording triples, it marked the first time since March 30 of last season at Nicholls State that Lamar had two triples in the same game.

Six different players for Lamar had a hit in both games. Travis Dunson extended his hitting streak to seven contests, while Steven Tucker and Jeff Vickers have hit safely in six-consecutive ball games. The Cardinals tied their season-high with 15 base hits.

The Cardinals used four different pitchers with none throwing more than 40 pitches or staying in longer than two full innings. Senior transfer Ryne Nelson (1-0) got the win after striking out two in 2.0 innings.

Lamar will return to action this weekend when it plays host to Central Arkansas in a Southland Conference series. Friday's game will begin at 6:30 p.m., Saturday's at 2 p.m. and Sunday's finale at 1 p.m.