CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - Down 1-0 after three and half, the Lions scored four times in the bottom of the fourth to take a 4-1 lead.  However, not even that was enough as the Roadrunners scored three unanswered runs to tie things up at 4-4 and send the game to extra innings.

Fortunately, for the Southeastern Louisiana University baseball team (37-21, 23-13 Southland Conference) freshman pinch-runner Ross Barbier scored the winning run from second base on a ball that never left the infield as the No. 2 seed Lions claimed a 12-inning 5-4 win over No. 3 seed Texas-San Antonio (32-24) to eliminate the Roadrunners and advance to face No. 7 seed Sam Houston State later in the day on Friday at the 2009 Southland Conference Tournament.

In a game that would eventually tie the record for the longest contest in SLC Tournament history, the Lions would have to rally to claim their 24th come-from-behind victory on the season. 

Roadrunner left fielder Jose Hernandez hit a solo homer to right center to put the Lions down 1-0 in the top of the fourth.  However, the Lions wasted no time mounting their comeback effort, scoring four runs with two outs in the bottom of the fourth.  A two-run triple by sophomore center fielder Cass Hargis scored a pair of runs and an RBI single by senior second baseman Ty Summerlin capped the scoring to put Southeastern ahead 4-1 after four.

Senior left handed starter Brian McCants turned in a strong outing, going 6.1 innings and limiting a UTSA lineup that came in batting .321 as a team, to just seven hits over 6.1 innings.  McCants walked two and struck out six while holding the Roadrunners to just three earned runs.

Unfortunately, for the Lions, UTSA managed to put together a rally of its own.  The Roadrunners scored once in the fifth to make it 4-2 Lions before a two-run seventh.

An RBI triple by Hernandez chased McCants and junior right hander Chris Franklin came on in relief.  After allowing an inherited runner to score and tie the game at 4-4 in the top of the seventh, Franklin settled in.  The Oneonta, Ala. native went a season-long 5.2 IP while holding UTSA scoreless on three hits.  Franklin walked four and struck out three to keep the Roadrunners off the board.

On the other side, UTSA reliever Matt Crocker was equally effective, holding Southeastern scoreless and forcing the game into extra innings.

After trading zeroes in the tenth, the Lions failed to capitalize with runners at the corners and one out in the 11th, stranding a pair to end the inning.  However, Southeastern finally broke through in the 12th.

Sophomore first baseman Joe Sparacino drew a one-out walk before junior right fielder Philip Freeman reached on a walk to put runners at first and second.

With the winning run in scoring position, head coach Jay Artigues brought in Barbier to pinch-run.  Fittingly enough, McCants stepped to the plate after being moved from starting pitcher to designated hitter in the seventh.  After pitching a gem on the mound, McCants got it done at the plate.  

A slow roller up the middle by McCants was backhanded by UTSA second baseman Gilbert Saenz.  However, Saenz' flip to shortstop Marshall Davis at second went wide of the bag.  Barbier was waved around third and beat the throw home with the game-winning run.

The Lions, who lost to the Bearkats in their 2009 SLC Tourney opener by a final of 9-2 on Tuesday, rattled off consecutive wins in elimination contests against Northwestern State on Wednesday and Texas-San Antonio on Friday morning to set up a Friday afternoon rematch with SHSU.

The start time for the contest will be determined after the conclusion of the second touranment game of the day (between Lamar and Texas-Arlington).

A win on Friday afternoon would force a deciding third game between the Lions and Bearkats to be played at either 9 a.m. or Noon on Saturday. 

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.

Updated gametimes will be posted to www.LionSports.net and at www.Southland.org as they become available.