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Contributed by Lance Fleming, ACU Associate Director of Athletics for Media Relations
ABILENE -- The Lamar Cardinals finished Sunday what they started Saturday as they jumped out to a 5-0 lead and held on to beat ACU, 7-5, to complete a three-game non-conference sweep of the Wildcats at Crutcher Scott Field.
The loss drops the Wildcats to 10-17 overall, while the Cardinals improve to 20-7 with their 10th straight victory. ACU is off Tuesday before returning to Crutcher Scott Field and Southland Conference action next weekend when it hosts defending Southland Conference champion Houston Baptist in a three-game series.
The Cardinals won both ends of Saturday's doubleheader (8-5 and 16-6), thanks to an impressive power display that featured 20 extra-base hits, including seven home runs. Lamar didn't hit any home runs Sunday, but the Cardinald did come up with two doubles in their 13-hit attack that helped them improve to 8-1 against ACU in the last three seasons.
Lamar got on the board early with three unearned runs in the first inning as Trey Silvers and Gavin Tristan each drove in runs. The Lamar lead grew to 5-0 in the fourth as the Cardinals scored on a throwing error and an RBI by Jake Nash.
ACU finally got on the board in the seventh on an RBI single by Mark Pearson, but the Cardinals countered with two more in the top of the eighth to regain a 7-1 lead.
The Wildcats made it interesting in the bottom of the ninth, scoring four times to make it 7-5 as Heath Beasley and Pearson each drove in runs and Lamar committed a couple of errors. With two outs and two on, pinch-hitter Kyle Carroll -- representing the winning run -- sliced a line shot into right field where Jacoby Middleton made a diving catch to end the game, saving at least the tying runs from scoring.
Alex Copeland finmished 3 for 3 with two runs scored for ACU, while freshman Willie Harris was 3 for 4 with one run scored. Pearson was 1 for 4 wtih two RBI on the day.
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