Feb. 25, 2007

Box Score

BEAUMONT - Senior Dan Hernandez went 3-for-4 with four runs batted in to lead Lamar University to an 8-5 win over Arkansas State in the final game of the Cardinal Classic Sunday afternoon at Vincent-Beck Stadium.

Lamar, who went a perfect 3-0 in the classic, is 6-3 overall and has won its last five games. ASU dropped to 2-5 on the season. The Cardinals host LeMoyne in a pair of mid-week games beginning with Tuesday's 6:30 p.m. game.

Tim Erickson (1-0) picked up his first win of the season for the Cardinals in relief of starter Matt Morgal. He pitched the final 6 2/3 innings, allowing one run on five hits with one walk and two strikeouts. Morgal pitched 2 1/3 innings, allowing four runs on four hits with one walk and two strikeouts.

Lamar started the scoring with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning. Erik Kanaby led off with a walk and took second on Collin DeLome's single to left field. Dan Hernandez cleared the bases with a two-out, 2-run double to straight away center field.

ASU answered with two runs in the top of the second inning to tie the game at 2-2. A.J. Prickle doubled to center field and scored on Aaron Ferguson's single to left field. Ferguson was able to move up to second base on Kanaby's throw to the plate and scored on Grey Avant's single to center.

The Cardinals took advantage of some sloppy fielding by Prickle at shortstop to take 3-2 lead in the bottom of the second. Brian Lloyd led off the inning with a single, which extended his hitting streak to nine games. He advanced to second on David Moore's ground out.

Travis Dunson reached on a fielding error by Prickle and Lloyd was able to score on a throwing error by Prickle, still trying to get Dunson at first.

The Indians responded with two runs in the top of the third. Brandon Eller was hit by a pitch and Guy Brown walked. Ryan Hudgins sacrificed both runners into scoring position. Pinch-hitter Cody Pace singled to center field to drive in Eller. Lamar reliever Tim Erickson was called for a balk by first base umpire Bob Charmo, which allowed Brown to score from third and give ASU a 4-3 lead.

DeLome, who was 2-for-5 with three runs scored, singled to center field to lead off the home half of the third inning. Hernandez doubled down the left field line, his second two-bagger of the game, to drive in DeLome and tied the game at 4-4. That same combination gave the Cardinals a 5-4 lead in the fifth inning. DeLome reached on a fielding error by Brown at second base. Hernandez doubled for the third straight time to drive in DeLome.

Lamar added three more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Dunson walked and stole second base. Kanaby followed with an RBI single to center field, which extended his career-high hitting streak to 14 games dating back to last season. Baker singled to left field to drive in Kanaby and Ambort singled to left to drive in Baker to give the Cardinals an 8-4 lead.

ASU rallied for a run in the top of the eighth inning. Prickel singled to left field and scored on Chris Evans' double to make the score 8-5.

Indians' starter T.J. Brewer took the loss, allowing five runs, three earned, on six hits with one walk and five strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings pitched. Prickel went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and Pace went 2-for-3 with an RBI. Eller, who also pitched one inning of relief, went 2-for-4 with a run scored.