March 12, 2006

Box Score

HAMMOND, La. - The pitching of Derrick Gordon and the hitting of Will Henderson powered Lamar University to a 5-1 win over Southeastern Louisiana Sunday afternoon in Southland Conference baseball action at Alumni Field.

Lamar, who took two of three from the Lions in the SLC opening weekend for both schools, improved to 12-8 overall and 2-1 in SLC play. SLU dropped to 8-8 overall and 1-2 in SLC play. The Cardinals stay in the state of Louisiana for a 3 p.m. non-conference doubleheader Tuesday at Louisiana Tech.

The Cardinals wasted little time in getting on the board against SLU starter Jason Waguespack. Collin Delome, the second batter of the game, hit a solo home run to right field to give Lamar a quick 1-0 lead.

SLU tied the game with a run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Bryan Frichter led off the inning with a bunt single. He moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Tony Suarez and took third on a wild pitch. Kyle Ginn delivered a two-out single to left field to drive in Frichter with the tying run.

Lamar answered with a run in the top of the fifth inning. Jo Jo Haney led off the inning with a double down the right field line and scored on Colt Crawford's single up the middle to put the Cardinals up for good at 2-1.

In the seventh inning, Haney reached on an infield single and scored on Will Henderson's 2-run home run to left field. Henderson, who was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBI, closed out the scoring with a solo home run to left field in the top of the ninth inning that made the score 5-1.

The Lions threatened in the bottom of the ninth. Ryan Spencer singled to left field to lead off the inning and moved to second on a passed ball. Ginn singled to left field to put runners on the corners. Allen Harrington replaced Chuckie Platt on the mound for the Cardinals and struck out Dillon Sudduth.

Ricky Newman was hit by a pitch from Harrington to load the bases with one out. Harrington regrouped to strike out pinch-hitter Ryan Lewis and Richard Imhoff to end the game and pick up his third save of the season.

Gordon, a junior left-hander from Beaumont, evened his record at 2-2 on the season. He tossed seven strong innings, allowing one run on five hits with 11 strikeouts and no walks. Sophomore Scott Meyer tossed one inning of scoreless relief.

DeLome went 2-for-4 with a run scored and a double. Haney was 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Erik Kanaby went 0-for-4, which ended his season-best 10-game hitting streak, which was also the longest streak by a Cardinal this season.

Waguespack (0-2) took the loss for the Lions, allowing four runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and one walk in 7 2/3 innings pitched. Ginn went 2-for-4 with an RBI to pace SLU at the plate. Imhoff was 2-for-5.