SAN MARCOS, Texas – A five-run second inning proved to be too much for the Lions to overcome as, for the second time in as many days, the Southeastern Louisiana University baseball team (20-12, 10-7 Southland Conference) tried to rally but still found itself on the wrong side of a 9-3 score against the Texas State Bobcats (22-10, 12-5 SLC) on Friday night.

The Bobcats scored five times in the bottom of the second to take a lead they would not relinquish.  A two-run homer from Ben Theriot and a three-run shot from Paul Goldschmidt put the Lions down 5-0 after two.

Texas State would add two more in the fifth and one more in the sixth to claim a 8-0 lead before the Lions were able to break through against Bobcat right hander Zach Tritz.

Tritz held the Lions scoreless through the first six frames and allowed just four base runners over that stretch.  Southeastern was held hitless until sophomore first baseman Joe Sparacino led off the fifth with a single to right, but the Lions still could not manage to get a runner past second base until the seventh inning.

Trailing 8-0 in the seventh, the Lions got on the board as Sparacino drew a one-out walk and advanced to third on a double by freshman designated hitter Cody Gougler.  Junior third baseman Chris Franklin followed with an RBI ground out to get the Lions on the board, trailing 8-1 after seven.

Texas State reclaimed an eight-run advantage in the bottom of the seventh with a run off of redshirt freshman reliever Justin Schneider, but Southeastern answered in the eighth.

Sophomore center fielder Cass Hargis led off the eighth with a triple to right center field, and a two-out hit-by-pitch for sophomore catcher Josh Cryer put runners at the corners.  Senior right fielder Brian McCants followed with a two-run double to right to make it 9-3.

Unfortunately, that's as close as Southeastern would get as the Lions went up and down in order in the ninth to Texas State reliever Tyler Brundridge.

The Lions, who fell in the series opener also by a 9-3 finale, will now try to salvage the finale of this three-game weekend set when they return to action on Saturday at Texas State.  First pitch is set for 1 p.m.

Live stats and streaming audio play-by-play will be available online at www.LionSports.net, and the game can be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU 90.9 FM.