BEAUMONT — The Lamar Cardinals seem to never be out of any game, no matter the hole the team finds itself in.
Lamar trailed Nicholls 10-1 in the top of the fifth before scoring seven in the bottom half of the inning and the Cardinals went on to win 14-10 at Vincent Beck Stadium.
Wednesday’s win was No. 12 in a row for the Cardinals (21-7) who have not lost since a 4-3 loss against the Houston Cougars.
Lamar senior shortstop Stijn van der Meer had the eventual game-winning hit in the bottom of the seventh with a two-run double to right that plated both Brendan Satran and Chaneng Varela to put the Cardinals up 11-10.
The Cardinals tacked on another run in the bottom of the seventh when Bryndan Arredondo singled to left to score van der Meer and Lamar went up 12-10.
“We have done it before,” van der Meer said of the Lamar comeback. “Our team can really hit this year so if we keep believing we can put up runs. We don’t have to put up nine in an inning. We just chip away and chip away.”
Lamar might not have put up nine in an inning but the Cardinals did put seven across the plate in bottom of the fifth.
The score-fest in the fifth was highlighted by Reid Russell’s 10th homer of the season, a three-run home run to climb the Cardinals to within 10-6.
Lamar third baseman Cutter McDowell then got into the act with a solo jack right after Russell’s jack and the Colonels (12-19) lead was cut to 10-7.
“We always have to believe in ourselves,” McDowell said. “Coach (Will) Davis got us up and told us we need to believe. Getting down 10-1 early gave us the opportunity to chip away at it. It was a good win for us.”
Lamar freshman and Lumberton graduate Matt White got the win for the Cardinals. White pitched 2.1 innings and gave up no runs on one hit with three strikeouts and one walk.
The Cardinals pitching struggled early in the game. Starter Galen Andrews lasted only 1.2 after giving up five earned runs on two hits with three walks and three hit batters.
“I am not going to quit on Andrews,” Lamar coach Jim Gilligan said.
Josh Crain then gave up three runs in three innings on five hits and Brent Janak allowed two earned runs in his appearance that last three batters with no outs collected.
Nicholls starter Jake Smith lasted three innings. He gave up one run on one hit with four strikeouts and two walks.
The Cardinals return to Southland Conference play at 6 p.m. Friday with a road trip to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.