Box Score and Play-by-Play in .html Format

HAMMOND – Sophomore center fielder Cass Hargis hit for the cycle to spark the Lion offense and junior third baseman/closer Chris Franklin held off the Islanders to set a new single season school record with his ninth save as the Southeastern Louisiana University baseball team (22-14, 11-8 Southland Conference) rallied for the 4-3 win against Texas A&M Corpus Christi (13-25, 5-14 SLC) in the opener of a three-game series on Friday night.

Hargis got things started for the Lions by launching his third homer of the year in his first turn at the plate.  The solo shot put the Lions up 1-0 after one.

However, the Southeastern lead would be short-lived as the Islanders plated pair of runs off of Lion junior starter Ryan Boudreaux in the fourth.

Islander starter Brandon Orr held Southeastern scoreless from the second through the fifth, but Southeastern rallied to tie things up at 2-2 in the sixth.

Hargis, who singled and was stranded in the fourth, tripled to left center with one out.  An intentional walk to senior left fielder Brandon Street followed.

Sophomore catcher Josh Cryer tried to lay down a sacrifice bunt, but the throw came to the plate.  Fortunately for the Lions, Hargis avoided the tag to tie things up.

With the score tied at two the Lions reclaimed the lead in the seventh.  Consecutive doubles by junior designated hitter Chris Ernest and senior shortstop Jordan D'Arensbourg gave the Lions a 3-2 lead before Hargis completed the cycle with an RBI double to right two batters later to make it 4-2.

“Cass did a great job tonight,” head coach Jay Artigues said.  “He's been hitting the ball real well lately, and it's great to see him achieve that.”

The Islanders answered with an unearned run off of senior right hander Ryan Collins in the top of the eighth.  However, Franklin came on to record the last out of the inning before retiring the side in order in the ninth for a new school record.

Franklin's ninth save of the season preserved the 4-3 win and broke a tie with previous record holder Chris Province.  Province set the single season school mark in 2007, prior to being selected in the fifth round of the MLB Draft by the Boston Red Sox.

“Chris is a great weapon to have in our bullpen,” Artigues said.  “He's got tremendous stuff and great character.  We're confident that we can bring him in anytime and he'll get some big outs for us.  This is a great honor for him.”