March 28, 2006

Box Score

BEAUMONT - Sophomore Collin Delome went 3-for-5 for the Cardinals, but Blake Stouffer's solo home run in the top of the 10th inning was the game-winner as Texas A&M posted a 6-5 win over Lamar University Tuesday night in non-conference baseball action at Vincent-Beck Stadium.

Lamar, who had its five-game winning streak snapped, dropped to 19-11 overall. Texas A&M improved to 18-10 overall. The Cardinals return to Southland Conference action this weekend with a three-game series at Nicholls State starting Friday at 6:30 p.m. at Didier Field.

Trailing 5-2, Lamar scored three times in the bottom of the ninth inning to tie the game at 5-5. Jo Jo Haney led off the inning with a single to center field. Senior Colt Crawford doubled down the left field line to drive in Haney.

Erik Kanaby drew a four-pitch walk. Ryan Baker reached on a fielder's choice bunt as Crawford was called out at third base. DeLome singled to right field to drive in Kanaby. Dan Hernandez was intentionally walked to load the bases. Will Henderson drove in Chad Barbre, who was pinch-running for Ryan Baker, with the tying run on a sacrifice fly to center field.

Stouffer hit his two-out, game-winning solo home run down the right field line off reliever Chuckie Platt (3-2). Platt retired the first two batters in the inning with both Josh Stinson and Parker Dalton flying out to center field.

Matt Lambeth drew a leadoff walk to start the bottom of the 10th inning for Lamar. Haney struck out, Crawford flew out to center field and Kanaby struck out looking to end the game.

Kyle Thebeau (3-2) pitched the final one and one-third innings to pick up the win for the Aggies, allowing no runs or hits with three strikeouts and one walk. Platt took the loss for Lamar, allowing two runs on three hits in 1 2/3 innings.

Derrick Gordon was cruising on the mound until Texas A&M struck for three runs in the top of the sixth inning. He retired the first eight batters in order before giving up a hit to Dalton. However, he caught Dalton leaning too far off first base as he was caught trying to steal. He retired the Aggies in order in the fourth and fifth innings.

Todd Sebek led off the sixth with a walk for the Aggies. Josh Stinson reached on a bunt single. Sebek stole third base. Stouffer drove in Sebek with a bunt single. Austin Boggs drove in Stinson with an RBI bunt single and Stouffer scored on a throwing error by third baseman Haney to give the Aggies a 3-0 lead.

The Cardinals started their comeback with a run in the home half of the sixth. DeLome singled to right field. C.J. Ebarb doubled to center field to drive in DeLome and trim the deficit to 3-1.

The Aggies extended their lead to 4-1 with a run in the top of the eighth inning. Dalton drew a two-out walk. Stouffer singled to right center and Jose Salazar singled to right field to drive in Dalton.

Hernandez hit an opposite field home run to right field to pull the Cardinals within 4-2 in the bottom of the eighth inning. It was his sixth round tripper of the season. Jake Vasquez pushed A&M's lead to 5-2 with a solo home run down the right field line in the top of the ninth inning.