Lamar sports information

BEAUMONT — With a stellar relief effort from the bullpen and 10 Cardinal hits Lamar (6-9, 0-3 Southland) had several chances to win its series finale Sunday against Stephen F. Austin (8-8, 3-0 Southland). The Cards scored three runs and had the game-tying run at the plate in the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth innings but couldn’t even it up. LU ultimately fell to SFA 5-3.

Replacing starter Taylor Rich after two innings the relief pitchers went seven full innings and mostly shut down SFA. Ryan Erickson, AJ Ozorio-Brace, and Jack Dallas allowed just one unearned run and just five hits in those seven innings with five strikeouts and two walks. Erickson worked the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth innings before being relieved by Ozorio-Brace in the seventh and eighth. AJ got the first two outs of the ninth and Dallas closed with the final out, striking the only batter he faced.

SFA struck quickly once again with four runs in the first inning. The Lumberjacks drew a lead-off walk and advanced him to third on a stolen base and an error. A single from the second batter of the game brought the run home, and a one-out double scored the second run. A two-run homer that just carried over the left center fence cemented the 4-0 lead for SFA.

Lamar responded in the bottom of the first thanks to Avery George, Anthony Quirion, and J.C. Correa. George led off with a single to left that stretched his hitting streak to 14 games and his reached-base streak to 25. He stole second and reached third on a grounder from Quirion, then Correa brought him home on an RBI grounder to first. Robin Adames got a hit but was stranded on first. SFA led 4-1 after the first inning.

Lamar chipped away a bit more in the bottom of the second inning. Rhett McCall took one ball and then slammed a no-doubter over the left field fence with one out. Reese Durand singled to right center with two outs but was stranded and SFA led 4-2 after two innings.

SFA brought the minimum to the plate in the third, fourth, and fifth innings but added to its advantage in the sixth. A lead-off walk stole second on a one-out strikeout and advanced to third on a flyout to center field. An error brought the run home before a fielder’s choice ended the threat. SFA led 5-2. Lamar got a lead-off hit from McCall in the sixth that reached second on a two-out walk of George but both were stranded and the Lumberjacks continued to lead 5-2 after six full innings.

A one-out single from Adames and a walk of Cole Coker put runners on first and second with one out, then Logan LeJeune advanced both runners with a 5-3 grounder, again putting the tying run at the plate. Another ground-out ended the threat and maintained SFA’s 5-2 advantage.

Durand and George singled with one out in the eighth and Durand reached third on a flyer from Quirion. A single by Correa up the middle scored Durand and put runners on first and second, but a 4-3 groundout ended the threat again. SFA led 5-3 after eight.

Coker again drew a walk in the ninth and reached second on a stolen base, but a popup and a strikeout ended the game. SFA won 5-3.

Lamar’s bullpen combined for 15 1/3 innings out of 27 innings for Lamar and allowed just 11 hits, one earned run, and three walks while striking out seven.

Durand led the charge offensively with four hits in seven at-bats, hitting .571. George hit .417 with five hits, a run, an RBI, and a walk, and McCall had four hits with a .444 batting average and two RBIs.

Lamar returns to action on Tuesday at Rice with a 6:30 p.m. first pitch.