Sam Houston used sacrifice flies in the sixth inning of both games to sweep a Southland Conference doubleheader from Lamar by scores of 1-0 and 3-2 Saturday at the Softball Complex.
The Cardinals, who came into the contest in first place in the Southland , dropped to 12-13 for the season and 7-3 in league action. Sam Houston evens its record at 17-17 and stands 6-5 in the Southland.
Shelby Lancaster picked up her second shutout of the season in the first game, spreading five hits over seven innings. She faced 26 batters, striking out two.
The Bearkats only came up with a pair of hits against Lamar pitcher Tina Schulz. But SHSU didn't need a hit to score the winning run in the bottom of the sixth.
Centerfielder Jessica Slater walked, reached second on a fielder's choice and was sacrificed to third. Right fielder Cecilia Castillo scored Slater with a sacrifice fly to center field.
Sam Houston drew first blood in the second game as Koerselman led off the bottom of the first inning with a walk, was sacrificed to second and scored on a single by Cecilia Castillo.
Lamar tied the contest with an RBI single by center fielder Candyce Carter in the third inning and took advantage of a pair of Bearkat errors to add an unearned run in the top of the fourth.
Catched Tiffany Castillo answered immediately with a solo home run to center field to tie the contest 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth. The homer was Castillo's fourth of the year.
Second baseman Alyssa Coggins tripled to right center field and scored on a sacrifice fly by first baseman Sarah Allison to put SHSU up 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Starter Meme Quinn (4-3) spread five hits over six and a third innings for the win. Haley Baros picked up her third save of the season, retiring the final two Cardinal batters.
"We knew it was going to be tough playing Lamar," SHSU head coach Bob Brock said. "We've had some good practices this week. We need to stay focused Sunday."
Sam Houston and Lamar meet in the third and final game of the series Sunday at 1 p.m.
