SUGAR LAND, TX – HCU battle to a tough loss against Lamar, 4-3, to conclude the 2023 Sugar Land Classic at Constellation Field.
Senior shortstop
Austin Roccaforte went 3-for-4 with two RBIs, two walks, and a run for the Huskies (0-7). Freshman right fielder
Damian Ruiz went 2-for-4 with two runs while freshman catcher
Dylan LaRue went 1-for-5 with a double.
Junior righthander
Jarek Wells (0-2) took the loss, giving up a run on two hits in .1 inning for HCU. Freshman righthander
Baylor Baumann started for the Huskies giving up two runs, two earned, on four hits and two strikeouts in 5.1 innings of work.
HCU scored a run in the top of the second inning when
Austin Roccaforte singled to left field scoring
Damian Ruiz. The Huskies added another run in the top of the fourth inning when
Reed Chumley hit a RBI groundout to score Roccaforte. HCU scored their last run in the top of the fifth inning when Roccaforte singled to right field scoring Ruiz.
Josh Blankenship went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a strikeout for the Cardinals (8-0). Ben MacNaughton went 2-for-5 with a run and an RBI. Reliever Jackson Cleveland (3-0) earned the win pitching 1.2 shutout innings with three strikeouts.
Lamar scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning when Blankenship singled up the middle scoring Kevin Bermudez and Ben MacNaughton. The Cardinals added another run in the bottom of the seventh inning on a sac fly by Easton Culp scoring Ethan Ruiz. Lamar won the game with a walk off single up the middle by MacNaughton scoring Ruiz.
HCU will return to action on Tuesday, February 28
th, taking on Texas A&M University in College Station, Tx at Blue Bell Park at 6 p.m.
