Box Score Box Score
HAMMOND – Right-hander Blake Ford scattered four hits and allowed an unearned run while Lamar used a two-run first inning to claim a 3-1 victory over Southeastern Louisiana in a Southland Conference contest Friday at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.
The series resumes at 2 p.m. on Saturday. The game can be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9) and on the internet at www.LionSports.net.
Ford (4-2) fanned one and was aided by a Lamar defense that turned inning-ending double plays in the third, fourth and fifth innings. Machon Trimm pitched the final 2.1 innings for the Cardinals, allowing two hits and recording a pair of strikeouts for his second save of the year.
Lamar (19-10, 7-3 SLC) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Aaron Buchanan drew a one-out walk and scored on Jeff Abt's double to center field off Southeastern starter
Brandon Efferson (4-2). After Abt advanced to third on a wild pitch, Wade Mathis lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to give the Cardinals a 2-0 lead.
The Cardinals, who were held to three hits in the game, took a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning when Mathis led off with a walk, stole second and scored on Cameron Johnson's two-out single to right in front of a diving
Britt Gautreaux.
Southeastern (17-10, 5-5 SLC) were held to three hits through the first six innings before coming alive in the seventh.
Josh Cryer hit a one-out single up the middle before
Cass Hargis reached on an error. After Gautreaux fouled out down the left field line,
Joe Sparacino was hit by a pitch to load the bases before pinch-hitter
Cody Gougler was plunked to drive in Cryer.
Trimm, a southpaw, relieved Ford and got leadoff hitter
Brock Hebert to ground to third to end the inning.
Efferson pitched seven innings for Southeastern, scattering three hits and striking out eight.
Jeff Harkensee led Southeastern at the plate going 2-for-4 while Hargis was 1-for-4 in increasing his career hit total to 262 – 14 shy of tying former Lion
Ty Summerlin for the all-time school record.
Lamar............... 200 100 000 - 3 3 1 (19-10, 7-3 SLC)
Southeastern La..... 000 000 100 - 1 6 2 (17-10, 5-5 SLC)
Ford, Trimm (7) and Latulippe. Efferson, Pittari (8), Greenleaf (9) and Cryer. W – Ford (4-2). Sv. – Trimm (2). L – Efferson (4-2). E – Mena (3), Cryer (1), Pittari (1). DP - LU 3. LOB - LU 7, SLU 8. 2B – Abt (4). HBP - Zentek, Sparacino, Martin, Gougler. SF – Mathis (2). SB – Mathis (2), Johnson (1). T - 2:24. A – 917.
