Box Score STARKVILLE, Miss. – Southeastern Louisiana's
Chris Franklin got out a bases-loaded jam in the eighth inning to preserve a 1-1 tie and pinch-hitter
Joe Sparacino sparked a three-run ninth as the Lions defeated Mississippi State, 4-1, Friday afternoon at Dudy Noble Field.
Southeastern (5-0) remained unbeaten as it defeated previously unbeaten MSU (4-1) for the first time in 10 games. The series resumes Saturday at 1 p.m. before concluding Sunday at 1:30 p.m.
Franklin (1-0) pitched the final 1.2 innings to earn the win for the Lions, who took a 1-0 lead on a leadoff home run by
Cody Gougler in the second inning. Franklin, who replaced starter
Tyler Watkins, uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Jonathan Ogden to score from third before giving up a one-out double to Nick Vickerson.
Franklin issued two-out walks to Luke Adkins and Connor Powers to load the bases, but got Russ Sneed to line out to center field to end the game.
Southeastern, which improved to 5-0 for the first time since 1998, snapped the tie in the top of the ninth scoring the go-ahead run off Bulldog reliever Caleb Reed (0-1).
Josh Cryer led off the frame when he was hit by a pitch and eventually moved to second on a passed ball.
MSU reliever Devin Jones then hit
Philip Freeman with a pitch and walked
Chad Gough-Fortenberry to load the bases before Sparacino hit an opposite-field single to drive in Cryer.
The next batter,
Trey Martin, then delivered a two-run single up the middle driving in Freeman and Gough-Fortenberry and giving the Lions a 4-1 lead.
Watkins pitched 7.1 innings in his second start for the Lions, allowing five hits and striking out four. Gough-Fortenberry led Southeastern at the plate with two hits while
Cass Hargis,
Justin Boudreaux and Cryer added hits for the Lions to key an eight-hit attack.
Nick Routt scattered six hits and fanned six in eight innings of work for Mississippi State. Ogden went 3-for-4 at the plate to pace the Bulldogs
Southeastern La..... 010 000 003 - 4 8 1 (5-0)
Mississippi State... 000 000 010 - 1 7 0 (4-1)
Watkins, Franklin (8) and Gough-Fortenberry. Routt, Reed (9), Jones (9) and Thigpen. W – Franklin (1-0). L – Reed (0-1). E – Harkensee (1). DP - SLU 3; MSU 1. LOB - SLU 7; MSU 7. 2B – Vickerson (4). HR – Gougler (1). HBP – Cryer, Freeman, Adkins. SH - R. Collins (1). CS - Gough-Fortenberry (2). T - 2:31. A – 5,943.
