Box Score CONWAY, Ark. – Southeastern Louisiana rallied twice Sunday to defeat Central Arkansas, 7-4, at Bear Stadium and win the Southland Conference series two games to one.
Both teams pounded out more hits in the series finale than they had in the first two games of the series combined.
UCA (17-12, 6-6 Southland) grabbed an early lead with a pair of first-inning runs. The first three batters singled to produce the first run. Following a double play, designated hitter Joey Pinney singled up the middle to drive in the second run.
Southeastern (20-12, 7-5 Southland) mounted a three-run rally in the third to take a short-lived, 3-2 lead.
Kennon Menard doubled to lead off the inning.
Jacob Williams and
Jacob Seward (RBI) followed with a pair of singles before
Sam Roberson sacrificed both into scoring position. Williams scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by
Jameson Fisher and Seward scored on
Andrew Godbold's single up the middle.
The Bears, however, answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning to take the lead back and chase Southeastern starting pitcher
Sean Kennel. Reliever
Matt Pittari shut down the UCA bats, tossing 3.2 scoreless innings of relief before yielding to
Dylan Hills.
A fifth-inning baserunning mistake by the Bears started to shift momentum back to Southeastern and the Lions were able to capitalize on another UCA miscue in the sixth.
Kyle Cedotal laid down a bunt single with two outs in the sixth and then stole second base, his team-leading ninth stolen base of the season. Menard popped the ball up in front of the plate. Running on contact with two outs, Cedotal scored from second to tie the game when the Bears' third baseman dropped Menard's popup.
Southeastern took back the lead with three runs in the eighth, forcing UCA starting pitcher Connor McClain from the game. Godbold singled to lead off the inning before McClain walked
Daniel Midyett.
Brett Hoffman was attempting to sacrifice both runners into scoring position, but slashed away for an RBI single when the Bears' bunt defense left the middle of the diamond wide open. Leading 5-4, the Lions tacked on two in the inning to wrap up the scoring.
Hills (2-2) earned the win, tossing three scoreless innings in relief. McClain (4-2) was saddled with the loss.
Williams and Godbold each recorded three hits while Seward produced a pair of singles for the Lions.
Southeastern returns home Tuesday at 6 p.m. to host the Tulane Green Wave (14-16) at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.
Advance tickets for all home baseball games are available through www.LionSports.net or by contacting 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.
Southeastern La. 7, Central Arkansas 4 (Apr 06, 2014 at Conway, Ark.)
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Southeastern La...... 003 001 030 - 7 12 1 (20-12, 7-5 SLC)
Central Arkansas.... 202 000 000 - 4 11 2 (17-12, 6-6 SLC)
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Pitchers: Southeastern La. - Kennel, Sean; Pittari, Matt (3); Hills, Dylan (7) and Fisher, Jameson. Central Arkansas - McClain, Connor; Gilmore, Connor (8) and Deckard, Charles.
Win-Hills, Dylan (2-2) Loss-McClain, Connor (4-2) T-2:29 A-208
McClain, C. faced 3 batters in the 8th.
