After an eight run second inning, it seemed that the Tigers would walk away with a big win, but Lamar (5-0) made it competitive throughout on the way to handing LSU a 12-11 loss.
Michael Papierski got things going in the top of the second with an RBI double that scored Beau Jordan to put the Tigers up 1-0. Then O’Neal Lochridge hit a three run bomb to left center field to make it 4-0 in a matter of minutes. Kramer Robertson kept it going with an RBI double of his own to make it 5-0. LSU proceed to score three more runs that inning to make it 8-0.
But Bryndan Arredondo got Lamar back in the conversation with a two run bomb in the bottom of the second to make it 8-2. Jacoby Middleton continued to help Lamar’s efforts with an RBI double in the bottom of the third.
Lamar kept scoring with Cutter McDowell blasting one to center field to score two more runs to make it an 8-5 game. The Cardinals took the lead with a five run sixth inning that was capped off with McDowell hitting a two-run double.
LSU responded with getting three runs in the seventh inning to take the lead back 11-10. But pinch hitter for the Cardinals Robin Adames put the game away with a two-run double in the bottom of the eighth.
Parker Bugg was credited with loss allowing two runs off of one hits, walking two, striking out one, and hitting one batter all in two-thirds of an inning of work.
The Tigers (3-1) will return to Alex Box for a three-game series against Sacramento State (2-1) with first pitch scheduled for 7 pm.
-Clint Domingue