MESA, Ariz. — Despite falling behind 3-0 in the first inning, Lamar University rallied to defeat Seattle, 6-4, Wednesday afternoon in their WAC Championships opening-round game from Hohokam Stadium. Not only was Wednesday’s victory the first WAC tournament win in their first WAC tournament contest, but it was also the Cardinals first conference tournament win since 2013 putting an end to a nine-game postseason skid.
Big Red scored their six runs on 12 hits, while Seattle plated four runs on eight hits with an error. Seven different Cardinals recorded a hit, including four players with multi-hit games – Chase Kemp (2-for-5, 1 RBI, 1 run), Ryan Snell (2-for-4, 1 2B, 1 run), Kirkland Banks (2-for-4, 1 run) and Reese Durand (3-for-4). Seniors Matt McDonald and Josh Blankenship each finished the day with one hit but made the most of it with home runs – McDonald to right and Blankenship to left.
Braxton Douthit got the start and went 4.1 innings allowing three runs – all earned – on four hits with two strike outs. Despite his strong performance he didn’t figure in the decision. Douthit really only ran into trouble in the second inning giving up three runs which the offense quickly got back.
Senior Max Mize came on in relief in the fifth inning and went 1.2 allowing just one earned run on three hits to pick up the win to move to 3-0 on the season. Classmate Jack Dallas pitched a scoreless 1.2 to record his 14th save of the season.
After Seattle struck for three in their half of the second following a three-run home from Trevor Antonson, the Cardinals responded immediately. Leading off the next half inning, McDonald – a native of Phoenix, Ariz. – laced a 1-2 pitch over the wall in right field. LU just missed going back-to-back as Blankenship also drove a ball ball deep into right field but the ball carried just far enough to right center where the wall goes straight back allowing for an extra seven feet of playing area.
The Cardinals grabbed their first lead in the very next inning. After Blankenship just missed a solo shot to opposite field in the second he came back up in the third and crushed a 3-2 pitch to left field clearing the wall with room to spare. The three-run shot gave LU a one-run lead which held until the sixth inning when Seattle tacked on a solo shot off the bat of Matt Boissoneault, but just like in the second inning the Cardinals responded in the next half inning.
Three consecutive singles from Ryan Snell, Kirkland Banks and Reese Durand loaded the bases with one out. After a strike out, Kevin Bermudez drew a five-pitch walk followed by a chopper to short off the bat of Kemp – who was originally called out – but after video replay the call was overturned for the second run of the inning allowing another run – the final run of the game – to score.
The Cardinals return to action Thursday to face the winner of the No. 1 Grand Canyon vs. No. 4 Abilene Christian contest. The game is slated to begin at 7 p.m. (9 p.m. Central time) from Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Ariz.