Lamar University got a pair of home runs from senior Ryan Snell, including one in a four-run seventh inning, to knock off No. 5 Texas A&M, 7-4, Tuesday evening in College Station. The victory over A&M — just the eighth all-time in series history and the first since 1997 — moves the Cardinals to 4-0 on the season.
⚾️ MORE BASEBALL ⚾️
The Cardinals scored their seven runs on 10 hits from six different players, including multi-hit games from Kirkland Banks (3-for-5), Snell (2-for-4, 4 RBIs) and Ben MacNaughton (2-for-4, 1 RBI).
The offense was more than enough for Lamar’s pitching staff who used six different pitchers to get the victory. Senior transfer Quinn Waterhouse got the start and went 3.0 innings allowing just two runs — both earned — on two hits with two walks and a strikeout. Foster Kruezer, Kole Tauzin, Daniel Cole, and Jackson Cleveland combined to pitch the final 4.2 allowing no runs and just one hit. Kreuzer picks up his first victory in a Cardinal uniform pitching 1.2 innings of no-hit baseball with a walk and a punchout.
Wyatt Tucker started for Texas A&M surrendering two runs on five hits in 3.2 innings. Matt Dillard took the loss allowing four runs on three hits in just 0.1 inning of work.
The Cardinals had runners on base in the first three innings, and threatened to crack the scoreboard first in their half of the third with runners at second and third and two outs but they were left stranded and Texas A&M made LU pay in the next half inning.
After being held off the scoreboard in the first two innings, the Aggies got a leadoff home run from Jordan Thompson in the third. A&M would go on to score two runs on two hits to claim a 2-0 advantage heading to the 4th.
Lamar responded in their half of the 4th, and it would come off the bat of Snell. The Hardin, Texas native crushed a 1-1 pitch to left field for his second homer of the season. Looking for more in the inning, Tanner Wilson got hit by a pitch and immediately stole second. Wilson was driven home four pitches later on a single up the middle from MacNaughton.
The score remaining tied at two until the bottom of the fifth when Texas A&M scored two runs on two hits.
PLAYER RANKINGS: Top 150 2024 MLB draft prospects, projected by D1Baseball
Big Red answered in their half of the seventh taking their first lead of the night, and again they turned to Snell. With a run in (on a fielder’s choice off the bat of Blankenship), Snell came to the plate with one out and runners on first and second. Snell ambushed the second pitch he saw over the left field fence for his second home run of the night and his 2nd, 3rd and 4th RBIs of the game.
The go-ahead runs came in the 7th inning as Ryan Snell smashed his second home run of the night on this three bomb 💣
Lamar defeats #5 Texas A&M! pic.twitter.com/cjdmVZcKP2
— Southland Conference (@SouthlandSports) February 22, 2023
The Cardinals were back on the attack again in the top of the 8th when they got a sacrifice fly from Jack Schell. That insurance run would be more than enough for the Cardinals bullpen who never allowed the Aggies a chance to rally.
Big Red now returns home to put their win streak on the line Wednesday when they host Kansas State. The game against the Wildcats is slated to begin at 6 p.m. from Vincent-Beck Stadium. It will be broadcast live on ESPN+.