Stephen F. Austin
Lamar
Late Runs Spoil Thomas' Career Start
3/22/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
March 22, 2008
BEAUMONT, Texas - Kevin Thomas gave the `Jacks the longest outing of his career, but it was not enough as Lamar scored five runs in their final two at-bats to pick up a 7-4 win over SFA on Friday.
Thomas went 6.2 innings, the longest stint of his career, and had the `Jacks (9-10, 1-4) ahead by a 4-2 count as they entered the seventh inning; however, Lamar's (13-7, 4-1) Travis Dunson delivered a well-placed, 2-RBI single that tied the score before Steven Tucker delivered the go-ahead blow with a bases loaded single of his own three batters later.
The Cardinals only had seven hits on the night - all singles - compared to the `Jacks 11 hits; but had three multi-run innings, while SFA scored once in four consecutive frames for its total tally. SFA hit into three double plays on the night, each time in an inning in which the inning's leadoff hitter had recorded a hit.
Thomas took the loss for SFA, falling to 2-2 on the year, while Matt Morgal went to 3-1 on the year with the win for Lamar.
SFA opened up the scoring in the third inning when Kai Kirby served up a one-out single through the middle and was immediately pushed ahead to second on Zach Gardner's sacrifice bunt. Matt Whatley then delivered the first of his two hits on the night, a single to right field that drove in Kirby for his 15th RBI of the season.
Lamar was right there to answer, though, in the bottom half of the frame. After Thomas had retired the first six hitters in order in the first and second innings, he walked David Moore to lead off the third and Chris Dunkin followed with a weak single to center field that advanced Moore to third. Dunson then drove Moore home with an infield single off the glove of `Jacks third baseman Brian Ferguson, and Anthony Moore brought home Dunkin with a sacrifice fly to center field to close out the early scoring for LU.
The `Jacks wasted no time knotting things up as Adam Bosley doubled to start the fourth and immediately advanced to third on a wild pitch. Two batters later Kevin Crabtree poked a single through the right side to plate Bosley; however, after Justin Roland walked, Brian Ferguson grounded into SFA's second double play of the night to kill any shot of a big inning for the `Jacks.
An inning later SFA was able to retake the lead after Gardner was hit by a pitch with one out and moved to third on Whatley's second hit of the night. Kevin Croft then popped up to second base for the second out of the inning, but Cardinal's starter Matt Morgal balked Gardner home before getting the final out on an Adam Bosley groundout to put SFA on top 3-2.
During all of that it was Thomas that retired eight straight batters before giving up a hit in the sixth, and it looked like the `Jacks were going to be able to hold on after Noel Trevino hit his sixth home run of the year - a solo shot - leading off the sixth inning to give SFA a 4-2 cushion.
Unfortunately it was another leadoff walk that would be the precursor for Thomas and SFA in the bottom of the seventh. Chris Vickers earned a full-count walk to start it, but looked like he would be stranded on third base when Dunkin struck out swinging on three consecutive pitches for the second out of the inning before Dunson's timely hit that tied it.
SFA and Lamar will wrap things up on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. as `Jacks lefty Lance Luetge will put his 3-1 record and 1.69 ERA on the line against the Cards. Jim Gilligan will counter with a lefty of his own, Tim Erickson, who has yet to allow an earned run this season in 19.1 innings and is the reigning Southland Conference Pitcher of the Week.
The game can be heard live on KSFA 860AM with the pregame show beginning at 12:45.
-SFA-
