BASEBALL: Girouard homers, scores winning run as Lamar tops McNeese

Published 10:34 pm Saturday, March 16, 2019

Lamar sports information

LAKE CHARLES — Thanks to a 3-for-4 day by Port Neches-Groves graduate Cole Girouard that included his first career home run and a shutdown performance from the Cardinal pitching staff, Lamar (7-11, 1-4 Southland) took down McNeese State (11-8, 1-1) in extras. Big Red won 2-1 over the Cowboys in 11 innings on Saturday.

“We talked last night about how we believe we’re a good ball club and if we keep competing eventually good things are going to happen,” said head coach Will Davis. “There’s a lot higher chance of good things happening when your pitcher throws up eight [scoreless innings]; Jason Blanchard was a huge part of this story. Overall I just thought we played great. Our at-bats were pretty good and once again we just weren’t having any luck, and then Cole Girouard stepped up and had a monster day. It was great to see. Logan Berlof, Logan LeJeune, and JC Correa all made some great plays defensively and Rhett McCall’s catching today was unbelievable. Today was a full-team effort.”

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Similar to Noah Sills’ standout performance on Friday, Jason Blanchard was nigh untouchable on Saturday. The senior from Kingwood struck out seven while allowing just four hits, one earned run, and one walk through eight and a third innings. He faced the minimum through the three innings and had a perfect game until the third batter of the fourth inning. He continued to stifle the Cowboy bats through the rest of the game, allowing just two runners to reach second during his time on the mound.

Ryan Erickson and Austin Smith were stellar in two and two-thirds innings of relief with just one combined hit, two strikeouts, and a walk allowed. McNeese had loaded the bases in the bottom of the 11th inning on an error, a hit, and a walk, but Smith forced a liner to LeJeune at first base. The sophomore infielder from Port Neches caught the line out and slid across first base before the Cowboy runner could tag up, ending the game with an unassisted double play.

Girouard scored both of Lamar’s runs in the game in his 3-for-4 performance. The junior from Groves worked a 3-2 count as the leadoff batter in the top of the ninth and smashed a line drive towards the right center wall. His hit kept carrying and carrying until it went over the outfield wall, breaking open a scoreless game. His first career home run carried roughly 360 feet and put LU in the driver’s seat.

“It felt amazing,” said Girouard. “I was glad I could do that in crunch time and help my team. We really needed it and I felt like it helped spark our team to win the game. I was just thinking that I wanted to get on base in that at-bat, and it’s crazy that I had no intention of hitting a home run then. It just happened.”

Girouard’s game-winning run came in the top of the 11th. He again led off the inning and took two pitches before smacking the third pitch right at the McNeese second baseman. The ball was fielded cleanly but not fast enough to get Girouard out at first as he legged his way to a single. Cole Coker singled Girouard to third two batters later and a fielder’s choice from JC Correa scored Girouard, giving Lamar a 2-1 lead.

“The way we played today I think this could be the moment things turn around,” said Girouard. “That’s going to be the key for the rest of the season; playing together and sticking together through those tough times we’d faced earlier this year.”

Avery George had two hits in the game to preserve his 17-game hit streak and his 28-game reached-base streak. He’s now just four games away from breaking the Lamar reached base record set by Stijn van der Meer in 2016.

Coker, Correa, Anthony Quirion, and Girouard had the hits for Lamar in Saturday’s win.

The series finale is scheduled for a 1 p.m. first pitch with Taylor Rich (0-1, 4.09 ERA) slated to face RHP Cayne Ueckert (0-1, 7.04 ERA).