Cowboys drop 5-4 decision to Lamar in Southland Conference game :: Teams will conclude series with games in Beaumont on Friday and Saturday

May 15, 2008

LAKE CHARLES - Lamar University used a sacrifice fly to score the winning run in a 5-4 Southland Conference baseball victory over McNeese State here Thursday night.

The victory by the Cardinals, coupled with a 3-2 win by Northwestern State over Central Arkansas, enabled Lamar to maintain a one-half game lead over the Demons in the race for the eastern division title of the SLC standings.

McNeese and Lamar will continue their series in Beaumont, TX the next two days, playing at 6:30 p.m. on Friday and at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

It was a sacrifice fly by pinch hitter Nik Gumeson that plated Jeff Vickers with the winning run in the top of the ninth for the Cardinals. Vickers had doubled off Cowboy reliefer and loser Justin LeBleu to start the inning.

The victory lifted Lamar's record to 30-21 overall and to 18-10 in the SLC. McNeese fell to 13-40 overall and to 7-21 in conference play.

The Cowboys had scored first in the game, getting a single run in the opening inning when after two were out, Shon Landry singled in Mace Hebert from third.

The score rocked on like that until the seventh inning when the Cardinals scored four runs to take a 4-1 lead.

Up until that time, McNeese starter Tyler Davis had kept the Cardinals in check. He hurled six innings of eight hit, four run ball and struckout nine batters. All of the runs scored in the seventh inning were credited to him.

A triple by Steven Tucker scored two runs in the seventh for the Cardinals while Travis Dunson singled in one and a double by Chris Dunkin scored another.

McNeese came back to tie the score in the bottom of the eighth inning with three runs. Taylor Freeman doubled in two runs and the third scored on a single by Nick Eubanks.

Tim Erickson picked up the pitching victory in relief for the Cardinals, his record going to 7-2. LeBleu got the loss, his fourth against two victories.

Leading a 10 hit McNeese attack was Hebert with three hits and Landry and Eubanks with two each. Dunson had three hits for Lamar.

Pictured during senior night at Cowboy Diamond on Thursday were: (left to right) athletic director Tommy McClelland, head coach Terry Burrows, Brent Million, Justin LeBleu, Tammy and Aaron Kramer, John Bull and Kyle Bull. Million, LeBleu and Bull were honored.