Box Score

Box Score

HAMMOND – Southeastern Louisiana's Josh Cryer hit a two-out single in the bottom of the ninth inning and the Lions rallied to defeat Sam Houston State, 6-5, to earn a sweep of its Southland Conference series on Sunday at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.

Cass Hargis highlighted a four-run sixth inning with a bases-clearing double as Southeastern (36-14, 18-9 Southland) was hit by single-game school record seven pitches and earned its first three-game sweep since taking three games from UTSA March 12-14.

“Our guys did a good job battling all weekend against Sam Houston State,” Southeastern head coach Jay Artigues said. “All three guys pitched well for us today and we got some big hits when we needed them. It was huge to win the third game. After winning the first two, we could have rested on our laurels, but didn't. The kids did a great job in finishing off for a great weekend.”

Southeastern's Justin Boudreaux led off the ninth with a single to left and attempted to stretch his hit into a double, but was thrown out by Tyler Fiebrich. Jeff Harkensee then fanned for the second out before Cody Gougler reached on an infield single that glanced off the glove of SHSU reliever Matt Shelton (5-4).

Joe Sparacino was then hit by a pitch, advancing Gougler to second and both runners advanced on a passed ball by Michael Hilliard. Cryer, who went 1-for-3 at the plate and was hit twice to extend his school-record to 60, then chopped a 2-and-1 pitch over the head of SHSU third baseman Michael Burchett and into left field, driving in Gougler for the winning run.

“We said before the game that the team that does the little things the best would win the game and we were able to do that,” Artigues said. “We stood in there (in the batter's box) and got hit by seven pitches. Their pitchers tried to jam us inside and our hitters held their ground and that was the difference in the game.

“Trey Martin's at-bat in the sixth was the big play in the game for us as he fouled off three pitches with two strikes and was eventually hit by a pitch. That fired us up and gave our guys another chance to get the big hit.”

Southeastern broke up a scoreless game in the fifth after Trey Martin led off with a single and stole second. A grounder by Hargis advanced Martin to third and Boudreaux followed with a sacrifice fly that gave the Lions a 1-0 lead.

SHSU (17-32, 9-18 Southland) took a 2-1 lead in the sixth on back-to-back doubles by Braeden Riley and Mark Hudson before Taylor Davis hit a bloop single to center off Southeastern starter Jordan Hymel to drive in Hudson. The Bearkats put runners on the corners after Ryan Mooney chased Hymel with a single, but Davis was picked off at third on an attempted squeeze bunt and Lion reliever Tyler Watkins fanned Kevin Miller to end the inning.

Southeastern tied the game in the bottom half of the frame as Gougler was hit by a pitch, Sparacino singled and Chris Ernest was intentionally walked two batters later. Gougler tied the game when he scored on a sacrifice fly by Brock Hebert before Martin worked the count to 3-and-2 before being hit by a Brandon Kimbrel pitch to load the bases for a second time in the inning.

Hargis, who finished 3-for-5 in the game and increased his career hit total to 219, chased Kimbrel three pitches later when he doubled into the left-field corner, giving Southeastern a 5-2 lead.

“It was at the point in the game where we needed the big hit,” Hargis, who was 2-for-10 in the first two games of the series, said. “Trey had a great at-bat and got hit by a pitch to extend the inning and I was just looking for a pitch that I could handle.”

SHSU tied the game in the ninth after Watkins retired Ryan Mooney with a fly ball to right. Pinch-hitter Jordan Bunch singled through the right side before pinch-hitter Greg Olson reached on an error by Hebert. Fiebrich, who entered as a pinch-hitter, then drilled a 1-and-1 pitch from Watkins over the right-field fence to tie the game before Southeastern reliever Josh Janway fanned Daniel Nottebart and got Riley to ground out to end the inning.

Janway (4-1), the third pitcher used by Southeastern, earned the win. Hymel pitched 5.1 innings for the Lions allowing seven hits and striking out seven. Watkins pitched three inning and allowed two hits and two earned runs with three strikeouts.

Davis went 2-for-4 with an RBI to lead SHSU while Kimbrel pitched 5.2 innings, allowing six hits and five runs. Shelton pitched the final three innings for the Bearkats, scattering four hits and allowing an unearned run.

Southeastern, which is two games behind Southland Conference leader Texas State in the league standings, will return to action on Friday when it travels to face Stephen F. Austin in a three-game series in Nacogdoches, Texas. SFA (31-13, 18-8 Southland) is currently one-half game ahead of the Lions in the standings and will play its final midweek game of the season on Tuesday at Dallas Baptist.

Sam Houston State... 000 002 003 - 5 9 1 (17-32, 9-18 SLC)
Southeastern La..... 000 014 001 - 6 10 1 (36-14, 18-9 SLC)
Kimbrel, Shelton (6) and Oney, Hilliard (9). Hymel, Watkins (6), Janway (9) and Cryer. W – Janway (4-1). L - Shelton (5-4). E – Davis (4), Hebert (10). DP - SHSU 2. LOB - SHSU 6, SLU 10. 2B – Riley (15), Hudson (10), Andreas (13), Hargis (16). HR – Fiebrich (2). HBP – Gougler 2, Sparacino, Cryer 2, Martin 2. SF – J. Boudreaux (4), Hebert (5). SB – Wisener (1), Cryer (5), Martin 2 (9). T - 2:46. A – 693.