Head Coach Jim Gilligan
FROM CBB NEWS SOURCE
BEAUMONT, Texas – Steven Tucker and Joey Latulippe combined for six hits and drove in four as Lamar defeated Siena, 6-1, to give longtime Lamar head coach Jim Gilligan his 1,100th win at Lamar Wednesday.
Gilligan is Lamar’s winningest coach with 1,110 career wins in 33rd year as a head coach.
Lamar (6-0) used six pitchers and held Siena (1-5) four hits as the Cardinals won their tenth-consecutive regular-season game dating back to last year.
Latulippe went 3-for-4 with three RBI and scored twice. Tucker was 3-for-4 with one RBI and two runs.
The Saints put some pressure on freshman starter Blake Ford in the first when the first three batters reached to load the bases. Ford go Eric Mruczek and Dan Paolini to fly out but leadoff man Don DiPetta came home on Paolini’s sacrifice fly before Jason DeFilippo grounded into a fielder’s choice to end the threat.
From there, Lamar scored six unanswered and held the Saints to two hits and five base runners.
Latulippe singled in the first and drove in Brian Taylor and Tucker to put Lamar ahead 2-1. Latulippe scored an unearned run in the third when he reached on an infield single, advanced to second on a throwing error, moved to third on a ground ball to the right side of the infield and scored on Quentin Luquette’s single.
The Cardinals added their final three runs on the seventh when Taylor, Tucker and Latulippe came home. Taylor reached via a fielder’s choice and scored on Tucker’s second double of the day. One pitch later Latulippe singled up the middle to plate Tucker. Latulippe came home during the next at-bat when Chris Dunkin purposely got into a Rundown between first and second to allow Latullipe to come home without a throw.
Ford (1-0) was credited with the victory after striking out three in three innings of the predetermined multi-pitcher game.
Nicco Stento (0-1) took the loss for Siena with three runs on six hits in four innings.
Lamar will continue its 16-game homestand this weekend when it plays host to Columbia (0-0) at Vincent-Beck Stadium. Friday’s first pitch is set for 6:30 p.m., Saturday’s doubleheader is at 11:30 a.m. and Sunday’s finale at Noon.
