Four-hit night for Lamar's Quirion in 13-inning loss

ABC grad Anthony Quirion (Dixville, Que.) had a four-hit night for the Lamar Caardinals in 13-inning marathon loss to Southeastern Louisiana.

BEAUMONT, Texas - Doubling up Southeastern Louisiana (26-20, 15-7 SLC) in hits and holding the first-place team in the Southland Conference scoreless in 10 innings, Lamar University (15-30, 7-18 SLC) was snake bit on Friday in a 4-3 decision against the Cardinals. A close call in the 11th proved the turning point of the game.

LU starter Noah Sills turned in another pitching gem on Friday with eight strong innings. The senior from Honolulu, Hawaii, struck out five while allowing three earned runs on five hits and two walks. He faced the minimum in the first, fourth, fifth, seventh, and eighth innings. Reliever Dylan Johnson pitched his best game yet as a Cardinal with three strikeouts in five innings. He allowed one earned run on three hits and a walk. Johnson faced the minimum in the 11th and 12th innings and recovered nicely from a double in the 13th with three straight outs to end Lamar’s defensive effort.

SLU struck first on Friday with a one-run second inning. The Lions got a one-out single that reached second on a two-out, 1-2 count hit-by-pitch. A single up the middle on the next pitch scored one for Southeastern. The Cardinals responded in the bottom of the second with one run of their own on four hits. Logan Berlof led off with a single to short and advanced to third on a single from Anthony Quirion. The junior from Dixville, Que., tried to stretch that single into a double but was thrown out by a laser from right field. A two-out single from Avery George, his second of five hits on the day, scored Berlof to tie the game. Through two innings SLU and LU were tied at 1-1.

Lamar took the lead in the bottom of the third. Robin Adames got his 244th hit after back-to-back strikeouts, and Berlof was walked in eight pitches in the next at-bat. Quirion singled home Adames before a 4-3 grounder ended the Big Red rally. The Cardinals led 2-1 through three innings.

Back-to-back lead-off walks and a sac bunt put LU in a tricky situation in the top of the sixth, and Southeastern capitalized on that opportunity with a one-out single up the middle. A fielder’s choice with one out scored a second run before a liner to left ended the inning, but not before SLU took a 3-2 lead. Cole Coker knotted up the game at 3-3 with a solo homer in the bottom of the seventh, his fourth of the year, but Lamar would not score again.

The toughest inning of the night came in the 11th. Quirion led off with a single up the middle and advanced on a bunt, and it appeared Rhett McCall would single him home. Another throw from right caught Quirion at home, snatching the game-winning run from the Cardinals. George was walked to load the bases, and Cole Girouard worked through an eight-pitch at-bat before smacking a fly ball into center field.

The Lion fielder had to sprint and dive for the ball to have any chance at the play, and the call was that the catch was made. The Cards and Lions headed to the 12th tied at 3-3.

A lead-off walk in the top of the 13th scored on a seven-pitch double to left center field, putting SLU up 4-3. Johnson got three quick outs on a foul out to third, a strikeout, and a 6-3 grounder to keep LU within striking distance. Berlof opened the bottom frame with a walk and reached second on a Quirion single, and McCall advanced both runners on a 5-3 grounder. A walk of George again loaded the bases but a strikeout ended the game. Southeastern Louisiana escaped Vincent-Beck Stadium with a 4-3 victory over Lamar.