April 16, 2008

Box Score

BEAUMONT - Solid pitching and timely hitting helped Lamar University snap a season-long five-game losing streak as the Cardinals held off Texas-San Antonio for a 2-1 win in non-conference baseball action Tuesday afternoon at Vincent-Beck Stadium.

Lamar improved to 21-15 overall and the Roadrunners fell to 25-12. The Cardinals return to Southland Conference action this weekend with a three-game series at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Game times for the series are Friday at 6:30 p.m., Saturday at 3 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.

Lamar jumped out to the early lead by manufacturing a run in the bottom of the first inning. Anthony Moore led off the inning with a bunt single. He stole second base and advanced to third on a balk by UTSA starter Andy Benedict. Steven Tucker drove in Moore with the game's first run with an RBI ground out to second base.

The Cardinals added a second run in the bottom of the second inning. Brian Taylor walked and took second on another balk by Benedict. Tyler Link drove in Taylor with a single to center field to put Lamar up 2-0.

The Roadrunners cut the lead in half with a run in the top of the sixth inning. Trent Lockwood and Jose Hernandez both walked. Tyler Carpenter singled to left field to drive in Lockwood and make the score 2-1.

Ryne Nelson (2-0) started and picked up the win for the Cardinals. He allowed one hit with two strikeouts in two innings of work. Matt Morgal followed with two innings of scoreless baseball and John Ross Ramirez pitched one inning of scoreless relief.

Brian Needham allowed UTSA's only run in one-third of an inning pitched. Justin Walker pitched 2 2/3 innings, allowing no runs on one hit with one walk and two strikeouts. Tim Erickson retired the side on four pitches in the top of the ninth inning to earn his seventh save of the year.

At the plate for the Cardinals, Link went 1-for-2 with an RBI and Tucker went 1-for-4 with an RBI. Anthony Moore went 1-for-1 with a run scored, but left the game after the first inning following an awkward step in beating out his bunt single.

Benedict (2-1) took the loss for UTSA. He allowed two runs on three hits with one walk and two strikeouts in four innings of work. James Keithley went 3-for-4, which extended his hitting streak to a school-record 24 games. Tim Palinscar went 2-for-4.