CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (Interstat) — In a wild Southland Conference slugfest that defied projections and required extra innings, Lamar outlasted Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 18-15 in 10 innings on Sunday afternoon and evening at Chapman Field.

The game, a rollercoaster of momentum swings, saw the visiting Cardinals erupt for six runs in the top of the first inning, only for the Islanders to mount a massive comeback, eventually taking a lead before Lamar’s late-game heroics forced extras and secured the series victory.

Lamar’s Kevin Duran was the offensive catalyst, delivering a monumental performance. The second baseman went 4 for 7 with a home run, a double, and six RBIs, including the go-ahead RBI single in the 10th inning. His two-run homer in the first inning set the tone, and his RBI double in a five-run ninth inning tied the game.

The Cardinals appeared to be running away with it early. After Duran’s first-inning blast, they added five more in the second, highlighted by Duran’s two-run single, to build an 11-0 advantage. Hector Rodriguez also homered in the first, part of his three-hit, four-RBI day.

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi began its methodical climb back in the second, scoring three runs, two on a triple by Isaiah Afework. The Islanders then exploded for seven runs in the fourth inning, sending 14 batters to the plate. The rally featured a two-run single by Jayden Reynolds, who finished with four RBIs, and a two-run single by Jackson Smith, who had three RBIs.

The Islanders finally caught and passed Lamar with a two-run double from Smith in the sixth, taking a 12-11 lead. Afework’s solo home run in the eighth extended the lead to 13-11, and the Islanders added two more in the frame on an RBI single from Reynolds to make it 15-11, seemingly putting the game out of reach.

Facing a four-run deficit in the ninth, Lamar mounted its own stunning rally against a beleaguered Islanders bullpen. The Cardinals scored five runs on four hits, three walks, a wild pitch, and a key error. Duran’s RBI double tied the game at 15, completing the comeback.

In the 10th, Lamar capitalized on control issues and timely hitting. A bases-loaded infield single by pinch-runner Pregeant scored the go-ahead run, followed by an RBI fielder’s choice from Evans and Duran’s final RBI single to plate three insurance runs.

Lamar reliever Blayne Fritcher earned the win with two perfect innings of relief, including a game-ending double play in the ninth and a 1-2-3 10th. Luke Robertson took the loss for the Islanders.

Despite the loss, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi matched Lamar’s hit total with 18. Afework reached base five times, going 2 for 3 with a homer, triple, three RBIs, and four walks. Islanders relievers PierreLuc Jacques and Chase Mayer provided critical middle-inning stability, combining for 5 1/3 scoreless innings to facilitate the comeback.

The most important part of the game was Lamar’s five-run rally in the top of the ninth inning. Trailing 15-11 and down to their final three outs, the Cardinals strung together walks and key hits, culminating in Duran’s game-tying double, to completely shift the momentum and force extra innings after the Islanders had seemingly seized control.

With the win, Lamar improved to 14-10 overall and claimed the weekend series 2-1. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi fell to 11-13. The Cardinals’ victory sharply contrasted the pregame projection from Interstat, which had forecast a low-scoring 4-3 Lamar win and gave the Cardinals a 68.1% probability of victory.