FORT WORTH, Texas – Lamar University scored six runs in the first two innings and never looked back defeating TCU, 9-6, Tuesday evening to close out its nine-game road swing on a high note. The Cardinals (20-16) never trailed in the contest and only allowed the Horned Frogs to get as close as one run for an inning before extended the lead right back.
Kole Tauzin got the start and pitched an inning of scoreless baseball before LU turned things over to the bullpen. Tauzin was one of eight Cardinals to take the mound Tuesday night. Patrick Hail (2-0) came on in the fourth and pitched four scoreless innings allowing just two hits while striking out six to get the win. Jackson Cleveland came on in the eighth and pitched the final 1.2 giving up just two while punching out three to earn his seventh save of the season.
Lamar's offense scored its nine runs on 13 hits, with six different Cardinals recording a hit Tuesday, led by multi-hit games from River Orsak (3-for-5, 2 RBI), Kanin Dodge (2-for-5, 2 runs), Tanner Wilson (3-for-4, RBI, run) and Kirkland Banks (3-for-4, RBI, 2 runs).
The Cardinals also had six different batters drive in a run against TCU.
TCU scored six runs on 11 hits and was charged with two errors on the night.
TCU started Braeden Sloan but the Cardinals never allowed him to get settled in. Sloan went just 1.1 innings surrendering six runs – five earned – on five hits to take the loss.
After plating a run in the top of the first, Big Red's bats went to work again in the second, this time to the tune of five runs on five hits. Five of the first six batters reached in an inning that saw nine Cardinals come to plate.
With the bases loaded and no one out, Banks singled through the left side scoring the first run of the inning. Lamar scored its second run of the inning on a balk, followed by a Bermudez grounder to third to score another run. The final run of the inning came off the bat of MacNaughton who singled through the right side scoring Banks.
TCU managed to trim the Cardinals' lead back to a single run over the next two innings with two in the third and three more in the fourth. After a scoreless fifth – the first inning that saw neither team score – the Cardinals' offense went back to work.
Luke Bumpus, Wilson and Banks led off the inning with singles loading the bases for Bermudez. The Caguas, P.R., native drew a walk after working a full count which brought Bumpus home. Two batters later, Orsak singled through the left side scoring Banks. The next inning, LU added a Wilson RBI single scoring Dodge who led off the inning with a double to build a 9-5 lead with six outs remaining.
TCU managed to get one run back in the eighth but Cleveland came on with one out in the inning to slam the door shut for the save.
The Cardinals return home and return to conference play Friday when they open a three-game series against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Game one against the Islanders is slated to begin at 6 p.m. from Vincent-Beck Stadium.