BEAUMONT, Texas — For the second year in a row, Lamar University’s season opener goes to extra innings, and also for the second year in a row catcher Ryan Snell gave the Cardinals a walk-off victory via the long ball. Snell crushed a Brandon Decker pitch over the left field wall for the win.
The home run was Snell’s lone hit of the game as the Red and White collected eight hits on the night and rallied from an early 3-0 deficit for the win.
Transfer Brooks Caple got the start and pitched 5.1 innings and settled down after a tough start to the game. Caple surrendered three runs – two earned – on three hits to go along with a hit batter in the first two innings. He finished the game going 5.1 innings surrendering just the two earned runs on four hits with six strikeouts and left the game with the lead.
He was one of four Cardinals (1-0) to pitch on the night as Jeremy Rivera pitched 2.0 scoreless, Dane Cole pitched 0.2 of an inning and Jackson Cleveland pitched the final 2.0 innings allowing just one run to get the win.
Travis Densmore got the start for Oakland and got out to a strong start before running into trouble in the third. He was pulled after 4.0 innings allowing four earned runs on six hits with a couple of walks and four strikeouts.
Although Snell recorded the game’s biggest hit, the Cardinals had three players record multi-hit efforts, including Kanin Dodge (2-for-3), Kirkland Banks (2-for-4) and Tanner Wilson (2-for-4).
The Cardinals found themselves down three runs after two innings but answered right back in the home half of the third. With one out in the inning, the Cardinals got a hit from Wilson followed by a walk to Kevin Bermudez. With two outs in the inning Jack Schell drove in the first LU run of the season with a single to center scoring Wilson. After a walk to Josh Blankenship, Dodge singled to right scoring two. Big Red tacked on another run in the fourth to take their first lead of the night.
That lead held until the ninth when the Golden Grizzlies got their first two batters on and tied the game back up on a fielder’s choice (to short) off the bat of Thomas Green. LU was unable to answer in the home half of the ninth, but that just set the stage for Snell to step in and play the role of hero – almost identical to what he did last year.
With one out in the LU half of the ninth, Dodge drew a walk bringing Snell to the plate and the senior didn’t miss crushing the ball over the left field wall for the game-winner.
The Cardinals return to action for the second game of the series Saturday afternoon. Game two will see Jacob Ellis take the mound for Lamar. The game is scheduled for a 2 p.m. first pitch from Vincent-Beck Stadium.