Lamar sports information

LAKE CHARLES — On-and-off rain and a lightning delay of an hour factored into the first game of the Battle of the Border on Friday night.

Lamar (6-11, 0-4 Southland) faced the minimum through four innings but couldn’t keep the offense of McNeese State (11-7, 1-0 Southland) off the scoreboard. Two Cowboy homers and four Cardinal errors proved the difference in a 6-1 decision in favor of McNeese.

Big Red starter Noah Sills impressed early on, facing the minimum through four innings. He struck out three and allowed just one hit through the first four. He didn’t walk a batter. Two homers in the fifth along with an error scored four for McNeese, but Sills came back in the sixth and shut down the bats again. The Honolulu native was on track to return in the seventh before lightning struck in the top of the inning, ending his night.

Douglas Palmer came on for the final two innings of the game and allowed two runs to score on three hits. He struck out three and walked none.

Errors plagued the Cards in Palmer’s seventh as well, contributing but not causing the two runs that the Cowboys scored in that inning.

Lamar had hits in the first, second, third, and fourth innings, including a lead-off single from Avery George in the first that preserved his 16-game hit streak and his 27-game reached-base streak. The sophomore from Humble reached third in the first but was stranded there. Runners reached scoring position in the first, third, and fourth, but a 1-2-3 fifth hampered Lamar’s offense.

LU’s scoring came in the sixth inning. George drew a lead-off walk and then stole second. The catcher attempted to catch George stealing but an errant throw careened into center field, allowing George to reach third and run home before the throw. Lamar cut the deficit to 4-1.

Big Red’s last two chances came in the eighth and ninth innings. In the eighth Chase Kemp was walked and attempted to steal second while George swung at a pitch but was called out on batter’s interference, ending the threat. Robin Adames was walked in the ninth with one out and stole second, but a flyout to center left the senior from The Bronx, New York, 180 feet from home. McNeese won the game 6-1.

George, Cole Coker, Rhett McCall, and Cole Girouard had hits in the game, and George, JC Correa, Adames, and Kemp were walked.

Jason Blanchard (2-2, 2.01 ERA) will take the mound for Lamar at 3 p.m. Saturday. The starter for McNeese has not yet been announced.