BEAUMONT, Texas – An hour-and-a-half rain storm delayed the start of Thursday's game one of the Southland Conference Baseball Championship Series between McNeese and Lamar and when play began, the Cardinals resumed the strong pitching performance from last week's bracket play with starter Travis Lutz going seven innings of one-run ball while striking out 10 in a 9-3 Lamar win.
In addition, a home field that saw only eight round trippers for the Cardinals on the season in 29 home games, saw two homers popped for Lamar on the night while their 15 hits were a season-high at home.
Game two is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday night but could be adjusted depending on the weather.
Lutz improved to 4-2 on the season in picking up his first win in the tournament in two starts. McNeese starting pitcher
Cooper Golden (2-4) took the loss after throwing 3.2 innings, giving up four runs on eight hits with three strikeouts and one walk.
Eight of Lamar's nine runs were scored with two outs as it opened the game up with five of those scored in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Hayden Stringfellow put McNeese on the board first with a second-inning lead-off, solo home run on the first pitch of the frame, his sixth homer of the season.
Lamar tied the game 1-1 in the bottom of the second inning on a two-out RBI single by Balin Valentine to score Brayden Evans. The Cardinals could have plated more after seeing the first two batters reach, but a 6-4-3 double play turned by the Cowboys helped kill a Lamar rally.
A.J. Taylor gave Lamar its first lead with a one-out, solo home run in the bottom of the third, his seventh on the season. Jake Wagoner followed with a single up the middle then Theo Kummer perfectly executed a hit-and-run with a slap through the right side to put runners on the corners with one out. McNeese's second DP to turn of the game stranded the runner at third and once again halted a possible multi-run inning by the Cardinals.
The lead grew to 4-1 in the fourth inning on Tab Tracy's two-out, two-run home run. It was Tracy's second home run of the season and first in his home park.
A five-run fifth inning for Lamar opened the game up to a 9-1 Cardinals' lead with all five runs scored with two outs and four of those unearned.
A bloop single by Evans to center field scored the first run then a fielding error by McNeese shortstop
Easton Dowell allowed two more runs to score to make it 7-1. RBI singles by Beau Durbin and Taylor upped the lead to 9-1 before the inning ended.
Isaiah Keller led off the seventh with a double then scored on a
Connor Walker double to cut the margin to 9-2.
Korey Cooper followed with an RBI sacrifice fly to score Walker to make it 9-3 before Lutz struck out his 10
th batter of the game to end the inning.
McNeese scattered seven hits in the game with
DJ Pinkerton leading the way with a 2-for-3 outing. The Cardinals had five batters collect multiple hits. Hector Rodriguez and Taylor each had three hits while Tracy, Wagoner and Valentine each recorded two.
Notebook:
• Lamar's 15 hits are the most at home this season.
• The Cardinals' two home runs mark just the second time to hit two homers at home this season.
• McNeese head coach
Justin Hill has not decided on a starting pitcher for game two but did say conference Relief Pitcher of the Year
Eric Nachtsheim will throw.
• Lamar is expected to start Pitcher of the Year Chris Olivier.
