Box Score
RUSTON, La. – A potential double-play went awry for the Lions in the 10th inning Sunday as Southeastern Louisiana dropped its first game of the season, 2-1, to Louisiana Tech at J.C. Love Field at Pat Patterson Park.
With the bases loaded, following a pair of intentional walks, Tech (1-2) catcher Tyler Qualls chopped a ground ball to first base. The throw to home plate by Lion first baseman
Kevin Carr was up the third-base line and caused catcher
Jameson Fisher's foot to come off the plate. Taylor Nichols scored from third to give the Bulldogs the extra-inning victory.
Southeastern (2-1) headed into the game looking to sweep the season-opening series from Tech, the first meeting between the two schools since early in the 1999 season.
The loss also spoiled a dominating relief performance by
Kyle Cedotal (0-1), who limited the Bulldogs to just one hit in four-plus innings of work.
Tech jumped out in front, for the first time in the series, with a run in the fourth inning. Tyler Ervine led off the inning with a single up the middle, moving up one base each on consecutive one-out singles by Bre'shon Kimbell and Thomas Simoneaux. Taylor Burch plated Ervine on a fielder's choice grounder to shortstop.
Southeastern bounced back in the sixth to tie the game off reliever Laetton Galbraith (1-0). With two outs,
Andrew Godbold was hit by a pitch for the fourth time in the series. He stole second and scored on
Sam Roberson's RBI single up the middle.
Roberson and
Jacob Williams combined for all five of the Lions' hits in the game. Roberson was 2-for-4 while Williams went 3-for-4 at the plate.
Southeastern had a chance to tie the game in the eighth as Roberson again singled up the middle with two outs, but Burch's throw from center field nailed Fisher at the plate to end the inning.
Lion leftfielder
Kiko Thompson threw out a runner at the plate to end the fifth inning and prevent Tech from expanding their lead.
Kyle Keller scattered eight hits and a pair of walks in his first start of the season, tossing five innings and surrendering one run.
The Lions return home to face preseason No. 3-ranked LSU, Wednesday at 6 p.m., at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field, opening a five-game homestand that also features games against George Washington and Grambling State.
Season tickets are on sale for the 2014 baseball season. Box seats ($250), reserved chairback ($100), and upper grandstand ($60) options are available. Box seats grant membership in the Lion Athletic Association ($125 level). A family plan ($200), consisting of two adult and two youth general admission tickets, is also available.
For more information, contact the Southeastern Athletics Ticket Office at (985) 549-5466 or 1-866-LION-TIX. Ticket office hours are 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on Fridays, and is located in Room 107 of the Dugas Center for Southeastern Athletics.
Louisiana Tech 2, Southeastern La. 1 (Feb 16, 2014 at Ruston, La.)
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Southeastern La..... 000 001 000 0 - 1 5 2 (2-1)
Louisiana Tech....... 000 100 000 1 - 2 9 1 (1-2)
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Pitchers: Southeastern La. - Keller, Kyle; Cedotal, Kyle (6); Klotz, Mason (10) and Fisher, Jameson. Louisiana Tech - Richie Navari; Laetten Galbraith (6) and Tyler Qualls.
Win-Laetten Galbraith(1-0) Loss-Cedotal, Kyle(0-1) T-2:36 A-512
Weather: 65, Sunny; Wind: E, 3 mph
Keller, K. faced 2 batters in the 6th.
