BEAUMONT, Texas — After jumping out to a two-run lead in the first inning, Lamar University was held off the scoreboard for the remainder of the game as New Orleans rallied for two runs in the fourth and fifth innings and added another in the ninth for a 5-2 victory.
The loss drops Lamar to 15-7 on the season and 1-1 in Southland Conference play.
Hunter Hesseltine got the start and pitched three strong innings before running into trouble in the fourth. He finished the day allowing two runs on just one hit through 3.1 innings but walked three batters.
He also struck out five Privateers on the afternoon.
Trhea Morse came on in relief in the fourth and went 1.1 but took the loss after allowing two earned runs on four hits. New Orleans got a complete game from Brandon Mitchell (4-2) who allowed two earned runs on five hits with three walks and three strikeouts.
The Cardinals struck first scoring two runs on three hits in the bottom of the first.
Luke Bumpus singled to start the offense and then advanced to third on a double off the bat of Kevin Bermudez. Senior Ryan Snell singled to left field getting the ball just past the outstretched arm of the Privateers’ short stop to score both runners.
Leading by two, the Cardinals’ staff kept UNO off the board until the fourth inning – in fact, the Privateers were being no hit through the first three innings.
The Privateers managed to get runners on second and third with just one out in the inning. UNO’s Dylan Mach then came to the plate to face Morse and he wasted no time singling back up the middle to score two tying the game up.
After the Cardinals were held off the scoreboard in their half of the fourth, UNO added two more in their next at-bat to take a 4-2 lead.
The Cardinals had runners on the fifth, eighth and ninth innings, including Kanin Dodge who led off the ninth by reaching on an error by the UNO third baseman, but the Cardinals were unable to bring them around to score.
The two teams return to the field Sunday for the rubber match. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. start from Vincent-Beck Stadium.