Box Score Box Score
HAMMOND – Southeastern Louisiana's
Brandon Efferson pitched six solid innings in his 2010 debut and the Lions scored five unanswered runs as it defeated Eastern Illinois, 7-2, to complete a three-game sweep Sunday at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.
Cody Gougler went 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI and
Josh Cryer drove in a pair of runs as Southeastern (3-0) swept EIU (0-3) for the second time in three years.
“It was great to start the season with a sweep against a very good team in Eastern Illinois,” Southeastern head coach
Jay Artigues said. “Our pitchers did a really great job this weekend, and other than Friday, our defense played very well.”
Efferson (1-0) scattered four hits and allowed two runs before
Josh Janway, who picked up the win in Friday's wild 6-5 finish, pitched the final three innings for his first save.
Southeastern scored first when Cryer's sacrifice bunt in the first inning drove in
Cass Hargis and Gougler followed with an RBI single to drive in
Jeff Harkensee. After Eastern Illinois tied the game in the third inning with an RBI triple by Daniel Rowe and a single by Cam Strang, the Lions took the lead for good in the bottom of the inning when
Chad Gough-Fortenberry drew a bases loaded walk off Brent McNeil (0-1).
The Lions added two more runs in the fourth inning as Cryer and Gougler delivered base hits and Harkensee scored in the sixth inning on a fielder's choice by
Philip Freeman for a 6-2 lead.
Justin Boudreaux added an RBI single in the seventh for Southeastern, which collected seven hits and drew nine walks off five Eastern Illinois pitchers.
Hargis scored twice for Southeastern, which recorded 24 hits and drew 25 walks in the three-game series.
Southeastern will return to action on Tuesday when it plays host to Mississippi Valley in a 6 p.m. contest.
Eastern Illinois.... 002 000 000 - 2 5 3 (0-3)
Southeastern La..... 201 201 10x - 7 7 1 (3-0)
McNeil, Martin (4), Barton (5), Hannig (7), Foley (8) and Wallsten, Ruff (6). Efferson, Janway (7) and Gough-Fortenberry. W – Efferson (1-0). Sv. – Janway (1). L – McNeil (0-1). E – Borenstein 2 (2), Gee (1), Hebert (3). DP - SLU 2. LOB - EIU 5; SLU 10. 2B – Thoma (1). 3B – Rowe (1). SH - J. Boudreaux (1), Cryer (2), Martin 3 (3). SB – Freeman (1). CS - J. Boudreaux (2), Gough-Fortenberry (1). T - 2:58. A-442.
