HOUSTON – HBU erupted for eight runs in the bottom of the fifth, posting its highest run and hit total of the season under first-year head coach Lance Berkman, in a 10-2 victory over former Southland Conference rival Lamar in non-conference baseball Wednesday afternoon at Husky Field.
 
The Huskies pounded out 15 hits in winning their fourth-straight game.
 
Junior first baseman Matt Crossley went 2-for-4 with a grand slam and a double, while junior designated hitter Caleb Munton went 3-for-4 and scored a run. Junior leftfielder Braden Sanford went 2-for-4 and drove in three runs and sophomore shortstop Sebastian Trinidad was 3-for-5 with a double and scored twice. Junior catcher Parker Edwards went 2-for-5 with a. double, two RBIs and scored a run, while junior centerfielder Austin Roccaforte went 1-for-1 with a double, walked three times and scored three times.
 
Junior righthander Javan Smitherman (1-0) picked up the win, shutting Lamar on one hit with a strikeout in 2.2 innings. Junior righthander Trey Valka tossed two scoreless innings and junior righthander Tyler Zarella had a scoreless frame.
 
Josh Blankenship went 2-for-3 for the Cardinals (8-5), while Jack Schell and Kevin Bermudez each drove in a run.
 
Ty Ringo (0-1) took the loss, allowing five runs, only one earned, on two hits with two strikeouts in two-thirds of an inning. Lamar used 11 pitchers in the game.
 
The Cardinals put the first tally on the board on Burmedez's sacrifice fly in the third. Lamar held a 1-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth.
 
Roccaforte pinch hit and led off the fifth with a walk and the Huskies loaded the bases when senior second baseman Jake Miller reached on an error and junior rightfielder Logan Letney followed with a single. Edwards delivered a two-run double down the rightfield line to give HBU a 2-1 lead. After Munton walked to reload the bases, Crossley unloaded with a grand slam to left to extend the lead to 6-1. The Huskies weren't finished as Trinidad single and scored on Roccaforte's double, then Sanford capped the inning with an RBI single to right to an 8-1 advantage.
 
Sanford added a two-run single in the seventh to put HBU ahead, 10-1.
 
The Huskies return to action when they travel to face Louisiana Tech in a three-game series Friday through Sunday in Ruston.