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HAMMOND– Once again, the Southeastern Louisiana University baseball team (12-6, 4-2 Southland Conference) found itself down early, and, for the 12th time this year, the Lions rallied for a win. This time the Lions claimed the 2009 Senator's Cup Series victory, and extended their winning streak to a season-best five games with an 11-9 win over the Tulane Green Wave (11-9) on Wednesday night at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field in Hammond.
The Green Wave struck first with a pair of runs in the top of the first. Nick Boullosa led off with a double to left, and Seth Henry drove in the game's first run with an RBI single. Tulane would also get a run-scoring sacrifice fly from Steve Moritz as the Green Wave took a 2-0 lead in the opening frame.
The Lions rallied in their first trip to the plate by cutting the Tulane lead in half. Senior shortstop Ty Summerlin doubled to center field but was erased on a fielder's choice off the bat of sophomore first baseman Joe Sparacino. Fortunately, for Southeastern, a two-out double from sophomore left fielder Josh Cryer got the Lions on the board, making it 2-1 after one.
However, Tulane answered in the second with four runs on five hits, including a solo homer from Drew Allain, and the Lions found themselves trailing 6-1 after two.
After senior right hander Robert Rugg came on in relief for the Lions and kept Tulane off the board in the top of the third, Southeastern rallied to take in the home half.
The Lions sent ten men to the plate in the third, plating six. A pair of Green Wave errors and RBI singles by Summerlin, Sparacino and freshman catcher Torin Lucas put Southeastern up 7-6.
The Green Wave reclaimed the lead with a two-run home run from Sam Honeck in the top of the fourth, but the Lions would not stay down for long.
Southeastern rallied once again with a three run bottom of the fourth to put the Lions out in front for good. Sophomore center fielder Cass Hargis got things started with a bang with a lead-off home run to tie things up at 8-8.
The Lions loaded the bases with two outs thanks to base hits from Cryer and senior right fielder Brian McCants and junior third baseman Chris Franklin's hit-by-pitch. Tulane first baseman Sam Honeck then made an error on a grounder from freshman designated hitter Cody Gougler. Cryer and McCants came home on the play to put the Lions ahead 10-8 after four.
After a scoreless fifth, Southeastern added some insurance in the sixth as McCants crossed the plate courtesy of a Tulane error to give the Lions an 11-8 advantage.
After the Lions got out in front, Rugg made sure it stayed that way. In just his third appearance since returning to the staff following “Tommy John” surgery that cost him the 2008 season, Rugg went a career high 6.1 innings and limited Tulane to just three earned runs on five hits while walking two and striking out three en route to the first win of his career.
The Green Wave tightened things up with a run in the top of the eighth to make it 11-9, but junior left hander Shawn Herring closed things out for the Lions. Herring threw the final 1.2 innings, allowing just one hit and no walks while striking out three to hold Tulane scoreless for his first save as a Lion.
Southeastern will return to action when the Lions visit Central Arkansas for a three-game weekend set. First pitch for Friday's opener is set for 6 p.m. in Conway, Ark. Live stats and streaming audio play-by-play will be available online at www.LionSports.net, and the game can be heard over the air in the Hammond area on KSLU 90.9 FM.
NOTES
Sophomore center fielder Cass Hargis went 2-for-4 on the night, picking up his 99th and 100th career base hits in just his 75th career game.
The Lions' five game winning streak is the longest for Southeastern since the Lions won five straight from March 10-17, 2007.
