Lamar sports information
NACOGDOCHES —The long ball was working for the Lamar Cardinals on Friday.
They stepped up to the plate and scored 14 runs on eight combined home runs, sweeping a doubleheader 10-9, 13-6 at Stephen F. Austin in the final regular season series of the 2016 campaign, this one at Jaycees Field in Southland Conference action.
Eleven of the 13 runs scored in the nightcap of the twin bill were scored on six dingers, which ranks fourth all-time in LU (34-17, 19-10 Southland Conference) history for homers in a game, and is the most since it trounced Columbia with seven in 2009. Both Robin Adames and Brendan Satran hit two, and Cutter McDowell, Jacoby Middleton, Reid Russell and Trey Silvers all added another.
For Russell, it was his 17th homer of the season, which puts him in sole possession of second place at Lamar for homers in a season, one shy of tying Michael Ambort’s record of 18. The total also upped the team’s mark to 55, the most since the Cardinals hit 64 in both 1998 and 1999. The mark is two shy of matching the fifth most in school history in a season at 57 (1978).
Satran kicked off the scoring machine in the second inning of the second game with a solo shot that led off the frame, and was followed later in the inning by McDowell’s two-run blast that scored Jake Nash. Between the two homers, Nash doubled home Stijn van der Meer, who reached on a single. The inning put Lamar up 5-0 since Nash scored an unearned run in the first; Bryndan Arredondo drove him in on a single up the middle.
Stephen F. Austin (27-27, 14-15) worked its way back to tie it at 5-5 in the fourth inning, but in the very next frame Middleton plastered a three-run shot to put LU up 8-5, and the Cards never lost the lead again — due in large part to Jayson McKinley’s (3-2) second-straight good outing.
Silvers reached on a one-out double to left center, and Chaneng Varela put men on first and third with a single through the left side. Middleton drove a 1-0 count pitch over the opposite field (right) wall for his ninth long ball of the year.
In the eight, up 8-6, Russell popped his long ball that also scored van der Meer, reached on a single, and Silvers went deep in the next at-bat for back-to-back jacks. In the ninth, Satran added extra insurance when he hit one to left center that scored Adames, who reached on a leadoff single.
McKinley worked 5 2/3 innings and just allowed one run on four hits and two walks. He took over for Will Hibbs, who was pulled after 3 2/3 inning and allowed five runs (four earned) on four hits and two walks, after he struggled in the fourth.
Austin Smith (0-1) was tagged with the loss on 3 1/3 frames of work with three scores given up on five hits. Just like the first game, the Lumberjacks used six pitchers in the contest.
Freshman Adames spurred on the Cardinals in the opening game. He stood at the plate in four at-bats, and each one proved more pivotal than the one before. He finished 4-of-4 with four RBI, two home runs, and two runs scored. It could have been three, but he was pinch run for in the eighth inning.
In the second inning, his first at-bat, he stepped up with Arredondo at first and sent him across with a scorched double left field that tied the game 1-1 early. Stephen F. Austin hung a four-spot in the third inning to jump up 5-1, but Adames cut it to 5-3 when he popped a two-run home run to left, his fourth of the season, that scored Middleton in the fourth.
That home run left the Cardinals in striking distance for Arredondo’s bases-loaded double in the fifth that gave Big Red its first advantage of the game at 6-5. Nash singled, McDowell doubled and Silvers drew a walk to load the bases for Arredondo, who ripped a 1-0 count pitch to right center.
In the fifth, Adames stepped to the plate and picked on the first pitch he saw and blasted a leadoff homer over the left field wall, which gave LU a 7-5 lead. Satran followed up the long ball with a single to central, and later scored on McDowell’s second double in as many innings to make it 8-5, LU.
Adames’ second homer of the game made him the fourth Cardinal to have two long balls in a contest this season, joining Jacoby Middleton, Russell and Silvers. His fourth hit in the eighth inning was the sixth time that a Cardinal had four hits in a single contest. Satran later became the seventh to do it with a 4-of-5 day in the second game.
The Lumberjacks battled back with their second four-run inning in the sixth, with a lot of help from walks issued from LU pitching. Tyler Kendrick led off the inning with a walk, and two batters later Kyle Thornell did the same thing. Garrett McMullen singled home Kendrick before another walk Connor Fikes loaded the bases.
A sacrifice fly from Zach Michener scored Thornell and pushed Fikes to third base, who stole home to tie it at 8-8. Clark Kahawaii gave the ‘Jacks the 9-8 advantage.
Neither team scored in the seventh inning, but Adames led off the eighth with a first-pitch single to center field. He was pinch ran for by Gavin Tristan, who worked his way around the bags and scored the tying run on a single through the right side. Stijn van der Meer, who doubled earlier in the frame, scored the go-ahead run from third on fielder’s choice from McDowell.
Travis Moore (4-2) won the fourth game of his season on 2 2/3 scoreless innings of work. Fernando Martinez (3) earned the save with an inning with just one hit allowed. Jimmy Johnson started the contest against a very stout SFA lineup and worked 3 2/3 frames. He surrendered five runs on nine hits and two walks. Brett Brown relieved him and pitched well until the walks that aided in the four-run inning.
SFA used six pitchers in the first game, and Tyler Starks (3-2) suffered the loss when he gave up the go-ahead run on two hits. Patrick Ledet started the contest and worked 4 2/3 innings and gave up six runs on six hits and four walks.
Nash now has 40-plus runs scored and runs driven in, making him the first 40-40 Cardinal since Darian Johnson and Sam Bumpers did it in 2013. They are three of only four Big Red players to do in since 2010. Russell is one RBI short of being the first 60-RBI player at Lamar since Ambort’s 63 in 2007.
Lamar will go for a sweep today when the two teams lace up for a 1 p.m. first pitch at Jaycees Field. It is the regular season finale. The wins on Friday secured at least the fourth seed heading into the Southland Conference Tournament, and there is still a chance for the third seed.