April 12, 2008

Box Score

After trailing by as many as seven runs midway through the game, Lamar rallied to cut the lead to 9-8 after eight innings before falling by the same score to Sam Houston State at Vincent-Beck Stadium Saturday.

Sam Houston State (20-13, 8-6 Southland) won its third-consecutive game, while Lamar (20-13, 10-4) suffered its third loss in as many games this week.

Leading 6-0 going into the fifth inning, Sam Houston State made it 7-0 on a Seth Hammock home run to left field. The Cardinals then started their rally as they scored five runs on five hits in the bottom of the fifth. After two runs scored on a single up the middle by pinch hitter Ryan Saldivar, cut the deficit to 7-2, Steven Tucker hit a three-run blast to center field that made it 7-5. It was his third long ball of the season and pushed his team-high RBI total to 29.

The Bearkats added two more in the seventh on a two-run bloop double down the right field line by Nick Zaleski. Travis Dunson joined the long ball parade as he belted a solo shot in the bottom of the seventh for his second of the season - and the fourth combined by the two teams Saturday.

Sam Houston looked as though it was going to break the game open in the eighth as the Bearkats loaded the bases with one out. But reliever Matt Gore came on and struck out Bobby Verbick and got Hammock to pop-out to end the threat.

Lamar came out in the eighth and scored two runs on two hits but was unable to do any further damage and stranded a pair of men, including one at third base. That was how the score stood through the ninth when Bearkat reliever Zac Baker retired the Cardinals in order and earned his second save of the year. He went 2.2 innings and struck out three while allowing a pair of runs on two hits.

Brent Powers (2-1) earned the win in relief after throwing 1.2 innings and facing just six batters. He replaced starter Guillaume Duguay after 4.2 innings. Matt Morgal (3-2) got the loss for Lamar after allowing six runs on six hits in 4.0 innings. He also struck out three but hit two batters.

Tucker went 2-for-4 with those three runs on his homer and scored twice. Jeff Vickers, Wade Mathis and Dunson each had two hits and drove in a run. Brian Taylor singled in the first inning to extend his hitting streak to 12 games - the longest by a Cardinal all season.

Keith Stein led Sam Houston with a 3-for-4 day at the plate and hit his sixth home run in the fourth inning. He had three RBI and scored three times. Ryan Trevino, Jaime Rohlmeier and Zaleski all had two hits.

The teams will wrap-up their three-game series on Sunday at 1 p.m.