SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Southeastern Louisiana scored a run in the top of the ninth Friday to take the series opener, 3-2, from Utah at Smith's Ballpark.
Southeastern (26-9) won for the fourth-straight game as Lion pitchers stranded 11 Utah (10-20) runners on base.
The Lions scored first.
Kevin Carr led off the second inning with a double into the right-center field gap. He came home to score on
Brett Hoffman's two-out single up the middle.
Utah tied the game in the bottom of the third, but the Lions took the lead back in the fifth.
Jacob Seward singled through the right side with two outs. He then stole both second base and third.
Julian Service worked a walk, putting runners on the corners.
Daniel Midyett followed with an RBI single to center, plating Seward.
The Utes came right back with a two-out run of their own in the bottom of the fifth, tying the game again. Second baseman Kody Davis doubled to left-center with two outs and scored on center fielder Wyler Smith's single up the middle.
Starting pitcher
Tate Scioneaux worked six innings for the Lions, but did not factor in the decision. He allowed two runs on seven hits in six innings of work. He fanned eight and did not walk a batter.
Kade Granier (4-1) worked a scoreless seventh and eighth innings.
Catcher
Chris Eades, a junior from Slidell, Louisiana, singled to center leading off the ninth.
Kyle Cedotal pinch ran for Eades and was sacrificed to second by
Carson Crites. With two outs, Service doubled to left to drive in Cedotal with the winning run.
Freshman right-hander
Mac Sceroler worked a scoreless ninth, nailing the the victory to earn his fourth save. Granier earned the win in relief. Utah reliever Brock Duke (0-4) was tagged with the loss.
Carr led the Lions at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a run scored.
Southeastern will send junior right-hander
Jake Johnson (6-0, 2.44) to the mound on Saturday at 5 p.m. (Central) against Utah right-hander Dalton Carroll (3-4, 4.12) in game two of the series.
The game can be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU 90.9 FM, online and through either the KSLU or TuneIn Radio smartphone apps. Fans can also keep up with the action through live statistics or by following @SLUathletics on Twitter. Streaming video is available. Audio, video and stats are linked on the baseball schedule page at www.LionSports.net.
Southeastern La. 3, Utah Utes 2 (Apr 10, 2015 at Salt Lake City, Utah)
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Southeastern La..... 010 010 001 - 3 8 0 (26-9)
Utah Utes.................. 001 010 000 - 2 9 1 (10-20)
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Pitchers: Southeastern La. - Scioneaux, Tate; Granier, Kade (7); Sceroler, Mac (9) and Eades, Chris; Cuccia, Nico. Utah Utes - Stouder, Nolan; Helton, Bret (7); Rodriguez, Hunter (8); Duke, Brock (8) and Young, AJ.
Win-Granier, Kade (4-1) Save-Sceroler, Mac (4) Loss-Duke, Brock (0-4) T-2:50 A-454
