Lamar Scores Four In Ninth To Top SLU In Game 2 Of SLC Tournament
HUNTSVILLE, Texas ? After overcoming a 10 run deficit to rival McNeese State (11-10) on May 16, the second seed Lamar Cardinals are no strangers to overcoming tall obstacles. The Cardinals entered the bottom of the ninth down 7-4 to seven seed Southeastern Louisiana and plated four runs to take game two of the 2008 Southland Conference Baseball Tournament 8-7.
Lamar got things rolling first in the bottom of the second as junior Nik Gumeson homered to left field giving the Cardinals a 2-0 lead.
It the top of the third SLU answered with three runs of their own with two singles by Cass Hargis and Jordan D’Arensbourg when Brandon Street tripled to right center to tie the game at 2-2. Xavier Qualls sacrifice bunt gave the Lions the lead heading into the fourth inning, 3-2.
After Matt Schexnayder singled for an RBI up the middle scoring Brian McCants, Lamar senior Jeff Vickers homered to left leaving the Cardinals down 4-3 after four innings.
SLU took a commanding three run lead in the sixth inning with two runs from a Ty Summerlin single and after stealing second Summerlin was drove in by a Brandon Street double giving the Lions a 6-3 lead.
Each team added a run with Lamar down 7-4 heading into the bottom of the ninth. Lamar senior Jeff Vickers started the ninth drawing a walk followed by a single to right field by David Moore giving the Cardinals two on with no outs.
Nik Gumeson singled to left field loading the bases with no outs. Jeremiah Sammy singled to left giving Lamar its first run of the ninth moving Lamar to with in two (7-5).
Pinch hitter Chris Dunkin singled to right field tying the score 7-7. Steven Tucker drove in the winning run with a bouncing single over a drawn in Lions infield.
With the win Lamar moves into the second round 1-0 and will face the winner of game 1 Texas State in game seven on Thursday at 4 p.m.
Southeastern Louisiana will now move into game five and face UT Arlington on Thursday at 9 a.m. as both teams attempt to hold off elimination.