Lamar sports information
BEAUMONT — The late theatrics continued for the Lamar baseball team.
This time it was Jake Nash’s three-run triple in the eighth inning that broke a 1-1 tie and gave the Cardinals a 4-1 win over UT Rio Grande Valley Friday night at Vincent-Beck Stadium in non-conference action.
The Cardinals (8-3) entered the eighth inning in a 1-1 tie when UTRGV (3-7) pitcher Zach Martinez (0-1) took the mound and surrendered a leadoff single deep to shortstop Caden Rosholdt from Trey Silvers. Silvers took second base two batters later when Chaneng Varela drew a walk.
Next up, Stijn van der Meer was hit in the back by a pitch, which gave Nash the opportunity to send home the go-ahead run with only one out. He drove a 1-1 count pitch deep to right center and raced all the way around to third base, but over-slid the bag in the approach and was called out, but not before he picked up his now-team leading 12th run batted in on the season.
“Timely hitting wasn’t there for us until Nash got to the plate in the eighth,” said head coach Jim Gilligan. “He got a low and outside fastball and did exactly what he should’ve done. I was happy for him, it was super.”
He was also the Cardinal who drove in the first run of the game in the third inning that gave LU a 1-0 advantage. Van der Meer reached on a leadoff single over the third baseman’s head and scored from second (after a wild pitch) on Nash’s single up the middle. It was the third time this campaign that van der Meer reached base and was driven in immediately on a base knock from Nash.
His four RBI on Friday was the second time this season and second-straight game he drove four home.
Cardinal starter Will Hibbs (2-0) had another great outing with just one run allowed on seven hits and one walk. The senior struck out four in eight innings and hurled 115 pitches. Six batters were able to get into scoring position, but he was able to manage the damage in nearly every inning.
His lone run was in the fifth frame, and came on a double to left field from Rosholt that sent Austin Oakes to the plate. Oakes reached on a single that just scooted by second baseman Gavin Tristan. Hibbs worked two perfect innings and had two more where he only faced the minimum.
“Will looked great tonight,” said Gilligan. “Obviously he did a good job of pitching out of jams and minimizing any damage.”
Jimmy Johnson locked up his first career save at LU with a perfect inning that consisted of two strikeouts and a groundout. He took over in the ninth and threw 15 pitches.
“Jimmy had unhittable stuff, and that is the second Friday game he has done that for us,” said Gilligan. “That is professional stuff right there. He was throwing hard and on the knees.”
Nash was joined by Bryndan Arredondo with two hits in the contest. Arredondo had four trips while Nash had five. Van der Meer scored two runs in the game and Silvers and Varela scored the other two. Cutter McDowell and van der Meer were given free passes twice.
Martinez took the loss on one-third inning with three runs allowed on one hit and one walk. Johnny Gonzalez started the contest for the Vaqueros and worked 4 2/3 frames and gave up one run on six hits and five walks. The UTRGV staff combined for seven free bases on walks to LU.
The Cardinals will look to take the series at 2 p.m. today. The finale will be played at 1 p.m. on Sunday.