NACOGDOCHES, Texas (Interstat) — In a stunning reversal Sunday evening, the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks erased an eight-run deficit with an 11-run eighth inning to defeat the Lamar Cardinals 14-11 at Jaycees Field, securing a series victory.

The game, played March 8, 2026, appeared firmly in Lamar’s control for seven innings. The Cardinals built an 11-3 lead behind a strong start from pitcher Chris Olivier and home runs from Kevin Duran and Brayden Evans. Olivier worked six innings, allowing three earned runs on no hits with four strikeouts, though he walked several batters.

Lamar’s offense was consistent, scoring in the second, third, fifth and sixth innings. They amassed 15 hits, with A.J. Taylor, Duran and Evans each collecting two. Evans drove in two runs, including his second homer of the season, while Duran also hit his second.

Stephen F. Austin’s offense was largely dormant until the sixth, when Mark Henning hit his first home run of the year, a solo shot. That sparked a small rally to make it 11-3, but the Cardinals still held a commanding lead entering the bottom of the eighth.

What followed was a chaotic, 45-minute half-inning that saw 18 Lumberjacks come to the plate. Lamar used four pitchers in the frame, who combined to allow eight hits, seven walks and a hit batter. The inning began innocently with a single and a hit-by-pitch. After a flyout, Juan Cantua walked to load the bases.

Pinch-hitter Josh Ibe then singled to score Julian Swift, making it 11-4. That opened the floodgates. Ethan Adkisson and Cooper Schneider followed with RBI singles. After a pitching change, a walk to Cermodrick Bland forced in another run. Jhett Creel then drew a bases-loaded walk, and Swift followed with another walk to force in a run, trimming the deficit to 11-9.

Henning, who had homered earlier, delivered the decisive blow, a two-run single to center that scored Bland and Creel to tie the game at 11. After another single reloaded the bases, Cantua singled again to give Stephen F. Austin its first lead at 12-11. Pinch-runner Rodric Black drew another bases-loaded walk, and Adkisson capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly.

The 11-run inning turned a near-certain loss into a dramatic win. Henning finished 2 for 4 with a home run and three RBIs. Cantua was 2 for 3 with two RBIs and two walks, and Swift went 3 for 4 with two RBIs. Reliever Kadin Munson earned the win with 3 2/3 innings of one-run ball, and Reid Bowyer recorded the final two outs for the save.

Lamar mounted a minor threat in the ninth, scoring two runs on a sacrifice fly from Beau Durbin and an RBI single from pinch-hitter Hector Rodriguez, but Bowyer induced a foul out to end the game with the tying run at the plate.

The loss dropped Lamar to 9-7 overall, while Stephen F. Austin improved to 10-6. The Lumberjacks won three of the four games in the weekend series.

Lamar travels to face Louisiana Tech on Tuesday. Stephen F. Austin visits Texas A&M on Tuesday.