Lamar sports information
NATCHITOCHES, La. — It’s always the little things that count when two teams’ aces go head-to-head, and Saturday night it was one of three errors charged to Lamar that helped Northwestern State punch through a run and down the baseball team 2-0 at Brown-Stroud Field in the Southland Conference opener for both teams.
Speedster Nick Heath led off the sixth inning for the Demons (7-6, 1-0 Southland Conference) and reached when the Cardinal (9-5, 0-1) infield was charged with an error. Heath promptly stole second base and took third when Bret Underwood rolled over a groundball to first base. The first out of the inning was Cort Brinson, who lined out to Stijn van der Meer at shortstop, but Heath took matters into his own hands by successfully stealing home.
His steal undid a great outing from senior starter Will Hibbs (2-1), who was forced to take a loss. The right-hander worked six innings and allowed only two hits. The lone run charged to him was unearned and he struck out six batters with just one walk.
With two outs already on NSU, it added an insurance run in the bottom of the seventh when a walk was issued to Kwan Adkins. Heath sent him to third with a single through the right side and Adkins was able to take home on a wild pitch uncorked by reliever Brett Brown.
Brown pitched two innings and struck out four with a walk, hit and run allowed.
Northwestern State ace Adam Oller (2-0) was dominant Saturday and only allowed three runners to get into scoring position. None of those made it to third base. He took the complete-game, shutout victory on nine innings with five hits and two walks allowed and three strikeouts.
All five of LU’s hits came from three players, both van der Meer and Cutter McDowell each had two. Van der Meer was 2 of 3 with a walk and McDowell was 2 of 4. David Fry led the Demons with two hits in four trips, and Heath recorded the other hit.
Both teams plan to play a doubleheader with the start time still to be determined. Jayson McKinley (0-0, 1.02 earned run average) is expected to start game two while Billy Love (0-0, 1.46) will get the ball in the finale. McKinley will face Chase Hymel (1-2, 4.91).
After its series at NSU, Lamar will return home for a midweek contest against Houston at 6 p.m. on Tuesday. That contest opens a seven-game home stand for the Cardinals that includes conference series against Central Arkansas and New Orleans.