Houston Baptist Knocks Off Lamar
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SUGAR LAND, Texas - Houston Baptist lives to see another day in the Southland Conference Tournament thanks to its 8 to 5 victory over Lamar Thursday afternoon at Constellation Field in Sugar Land, Texas.
The Huskies scored at least one run in five different innings to claim the win and the right to play again Friday. The offensive heroes for the winners included Spencer Halloran, who went 5-for-5 with two RBIs, and Brandon Brintz, who went three-for-five with three hits, three runs scored, and two RBIs. Additionally, Jack Fitzgerald had two hits and scored a pair of runs.
"We capitalized and took advantage of some of their mistakes, but we played a little flat," said Houston Baptist head coach Jared Moon. "I think we escaped with a win today. So, we have to come out tomorrow with a better mindset, a little more aggressively, and a better mental approach."
Brandon Brintz crossed home plate the first of three times in the game after knocking a first-inning double to the left-center field gap. He was driven in one batter later when Spencer Halloran singled up the middle.
Lamar claimed the lead a half inning later with two runs to make it 2 to 1 Cardinals after one full inning.
Grant Devore, who led off with a walk, came around to score on Robin Adames' groundout. A defensive miscue by the Huskies on a fly ball off the bat of Bryndan Arredondo allowed Reid Russell to score the Cardinals' second run
Houston Baptist battled back in the top of the third with two runs to retake the advantage, 3 to 2. It started when Brintz' singled home Jack Fitzgerald. The second run of the inning came across two batters later as Jake Pulcheon's groundout to first allowed Spencer Halloran to score.
The Huskies scored again in the fourth inning to make it 4 to 2 after Austin Zillweger drilled a lead-off single, and then scored three batters later when Fitzgerald doubled him in.
They added another in the fifth inning to make it 5 to 3. Blake Thomas' sacrifice fly to center field was deep enough for Halloran to score without a throw home.
Lamar cut that lead down to a single run in its half of the fifth inning. The Cardinals' first run of the inning coming on Russell's RBI single to right-center field, providing Vincent Dellacano the opportunity to race home. Robin Adames then hit into a fielder's choice with Devore scoring to make the score 5 to 4.
The Huskies scored what proved to be the winning runs in the sixth inning when they scored three times. Brintz collected his second RBI when he singled through the right side to plate Fitzgerald. Halloran's single up the middle brought home Zane Otten. Then, Brintz scored on a wild pitch to make it 8 to 4.
Lamar added a run in the eighth inning to make it 8 to 5 after Arredondo singled and came around to score on a wild pitch.
Southland Conference Relief Pitcher of the Year JT Newton pitched the final 4 1/3 innings to pick up the win. Newton allowed just one run, unearned, on three hits. He's now 7-0 this season.
Houston Baptist will play Friday at noon, meeting the loser of tonight's McNeese-Central Arkansas nightcap. Lamar finishes with a 33-25 record.
Every game of the Southland Conference Baseball Tournament will be carried live on ESPN3. Southland assistant commissioner Chris Mycoskie will handle play-by-play duties, while several Southland teams' radio announcers will also showcased in the ESPN3 booth during the early rounds. For the title game, Mycoskie will be matched with color analyst Greg Swindell, a former first-team All-American at the University of Texas and 17-year Major Leaguer.