Cards Suffer Tough Loss To UTSA, 3-1 :: Lamar-UTSA at 3 pm Wednesday

April 15, 2008

James Keithley's ninth-inning chopper over third baseman Chris Dunkin's head allowed two runs to score and give UTSA a 3-1 non-conference win over Lamar at Vincent-Beck Stadium Tuesday night.

Second baseman Ryan Hutson gave UTSA a 1-0 lead when he hit his fifth home run of the year over the left field wall in the third. He led the UTSA offense with a 3-for-4 game and two runs scored.

However, the Cardinals tied things up with an unearned run in the bottom half of the frame. Shortstop Jeremiah Sammy led off the inning with a double down the right-field line, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by right fielder Tyler Link and came home two batters later on second baseman Brian Taylor's slow grounder to first.

That's the way it stood until the ninth when the Roadrunners put men on second and third with one out to set up Keithley's 2-run single.

LU starter Jordan Thibodeaux received a no-decision after striking out five in five innings while allowing just two hits besides Hutson's homer. Matt Gore also surrendered three hits to the UTSA bats and threw three scoreless innings.

Ricky Testa (2-2), who relieved Gore to start the ninth received the loss after facing four batters and allowing a walk and two hits.

Ryan Proudfoot (5-2) went the distance and struck out four with four hits. After walking Chris Dunkin in the fourth, he retired 17 of the final 18 Cardinals.

Dunkin also had his tenth double of the year when he led off the second with a shot to the wall in left-center but was stranded at third after being sacrificed over by David Moore. Taylor saw his career-high 13-game hitting streak come to a close on Tuesday.

The teams will complete their two-game midweek series on Wednesday. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.