Lamar sports information

BEAUMONT – A sixth inning bases-clearing double from Houston Baptist tested the resolve of the Lamar baseball team,  but the Cardinals responded with authority on a five-run inning when they downed the Huskies 8-4 Saturday afternoon in Southland Conference action at Vincent-Beck Stadium.

Down to a 2-2 count in the sixth inning on HBU’s Austin Zillweger, Tanner Driskill delivered a pitch to the low and outside corner that looked good, but was called a ball. That loaded the count for Zillweger, who fouled off two pitches before delivering three-run double to right field and put the Huskies up 4-3.

Lamar responded in the bottom of the frame with five runs, three on a blast over the right field wall from Chad Fleischman. Phil Ingram led off the inning by reaching first on an error by second baseman Jack Fitzgerald. HBU’s pitcher Dan Endsley induced a fly ball before he walked Cutter McDowell to put on two on with one out.

Cole Coker followed with a single up the middle to load the bags for Reid Russell, who lifted a fly ball to right field and sent home Ingram and tie it. Robin Adames came through with a clutch single through the left side that chased home Coker from second base before Fleischman’s third long ball of the season and third in the last five games.

“We’re staring down the barrel of a sweep at home. There was a call that could’ve gone either way and we didn’t get it. They used it to take the lead,” said head coach Will Davis. “That was a gut punch, I won’t lie. Our guys came right back and responded.

“I think that is a microcosm of this team. We’ve faced adversity and injuries, but we’ve never come out flat the next day,” said Davis. “We’ve never let one loss affect the next game. We saw that today especially in the sixth inning.”

SE LOUISIANA 5,

LAMAR SOFTBALL 3

HAMMOND, La. – Ashley McDowell became Lamar’s all-time leader in runs scored, but the Cardinals (17-18, 8-4 Southland) suffered a 5-3 loss to host Southeastern Louisiana on Saturday as the Lady Lions completed the sweep of the three-game Southland Conference series.

McDowell led off the game with a walk and eventually came in to score on a bases-load walk to Sable Hankins. The run was the 113th of McDowell’s career, moving her past Stephanie Meeuwsen atop the LU chart.

The Cardinals had their chances, but could not take advantage of nine walks. LU (17-18 overall, 8-4 Southland) managed just five hits and stranded 10 runners on the afternoon.