Box Score ARLINGTON, Texas – Brandon Efferson overcame a sluggish first-inning start as he scattered seven hits and fanned five batters in 7.2 innings and Southeastern Louisiana scored five unanswered runs in claiming a 5-3 win over UT Arlington in a Southland Conference game Friday at Clay Gould Ballpark.
The series resumes Saturday at 2 p.m. The game can be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9) and on the internet at www.LionSports.net.
Brock Hebert went 3-for-5 at the plate and scored the eventual go-ahead run in the eighth inning on a balk as Southeastern (21-10, 8-5 SLC) moved into sole possession of third-place in the Southland Conference standings.
Efferson (5-2) gave up hits to the first four batters he faced before giving up three the rest of the night. A two-run double by Preston Beck and an RBI double by Brian Nephew gave UTA (16-14, 7-6 SLC) a 3-0 lead in the first inning. The senior right-hander settled down as he allowed a second-inning single to Ryan Walker before giving up an infield single in the sixth inning to Chad Comer and a pinch-hit single to Cody Dyvig in the eighth.
After being limited to three hits through the first five innings, Southeastern rallied to tie the game after collecting three hits in the sixth off UTA starter Lance Day (2-5). Hebert led off the inning with a single before
Justin Boudreaux reached on a fielder's choice.
Jonathan Pace then hit a slow roller to second that Walker fielded and attempted to force Boudreaux out. The throw glanced off the glove of shortstop Jesse Payne for an error and placed runners on first and second with one out.
Jeff Harkensee then lined a double just inside the first-base line that allowed Boudreaux to score that cut the UTA lead to 3-1 and
Josh Cryer followed with a two-run single up the middle to tie the game at 3-3.
Hebert led off the eighth inning when his sharp liner to right fell in front of a diving Beck, putting the go-ahead run on second. Hebert advanced to third on a grounder to first by Boudreaux and after Harkensee was walked to put runners on the corners with two outs, Day was charged with a balk after trying to pick Harkensee off.
The Lions added an insurance run in the ninth after
Cass Hargis drew a leadoff walk, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by
Britt Gautreaux and scored when
Cody Gougler singled through the right side.
Stefan Lopez pitched the final 1.1 innings with two strikeouts to record his sixth save of the year for Southeastern. Gougler went 2-for-4 for the Lions, which collected eight hits in the game.
Day suffered the loss for the Mavs after allowing seven hits and four earned runs in eight innings of work. Walker led UTA at the plate going 2-for-4 with a stolen base.
Southeastern La..... 000 003 011 - 5 8 1 (21-10, 8-5 SLC)
UT Arlington........ 300 000 000 - 3 7 1 (16-14, 7-6 SLC)
Efferson, Lopez (8) and Fisher. Day, Boydston (9), Morales (9) and Comer. W – Efferson (5-2). Sv. – Lopez (6). L – Day (2-5). E – Gautreaux (4), Walker (2). DP - UTA 2. LOB - SLU 5, UTA 6. 2B – Hebert (7), Harkensee (7), Beck (7), Nephew (10). SH – Gautreaux (2). SB – Boudreaux (7), Walker (7). CS – Boudreaux (2). T - 2:23. A – 326.
