Box Score

SUGAR LAND, Texas – No. 8 seed Texas A&M-Corpus Christi scored four unearned runs to rally past top-seeded Southeastern Louisiana for a 4-2 victory in the opening round of the Southland Conference Tournament Wednesday evening at Constellation Field.
 
SLU (41-16), winners of the Southland Conference regular season championship, will face the loser of Wednesday's nightcap between No. 4 McNeese State and No. 5 Sam Houston State on Thursday at noon in an elimination game. The Islanders (24-24) will be in the winner's bracket, facing the MSU-SHSU winner on Thursday at 7 p.m.
 
Thursday's game will be broadcast live in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9) and on the Internet at www.LionSports.net. Fans will also be able to watch Thursday's contest on ESPN3.
 
The Lions' sloppy defense gave a hard-luck loss to SLU junior pitcher Tate Scioneaux (9-3). The first team All-Southland pitcher and reigning Southland Tournament MVP did not allow an earned run and retired the first 13 batters he faced. During the seven-inning effort, the SLU ace set a new school record for longest scoreless streak and moved former Lion and current Boston Red Sox pitcher Wade Miley for second place on the school's career strikeout list with 260.
 
Offensively, the Lions were held to five hits by Texas A&M-Corpus Christi senior pitcher Trevor Belicek (9-4). Sophomore seecond baseman Carson Crites and sophomore left fielder Ryan Byers each drove in runs for SLU.
 
Byers staked Southeastern to an early lead in the bottom of the second inning. After junior right fielder Julian Service snuck a single through the right side, Byers lined a two-out double into the right centerfield gap, plating Service and giving SLU a 1-0 lead.
 
Scioneaux allowed his first base runner in the top of the fifth inning, as sophomore designated hitter Zacarias Hardy and senior first baseman Frankie Salas each singled to put a pair of runners with one out. The Lion ace rallied back to retire sophomore third baseman Brandon Guilford and sophomore second baseman Brett Burner to maintain SLU's one-run advantage.
 
A pair of errors allowed the Islanders to take the lead in the top of the seventh inning. Hardy reached on an error by sophomore shortstop Kennan Menard. Islander junior pinch hitter Dom Lopez then hit the assumed third out to Crites, but the throw sailed wide of first, allowing Hardy to score the Islanders' first run.
 
AMCC took further advantage of the inning's extension, when Burner hit a sharp single up the middle to give the Islanders a 3-1 lead. The three unearned runs allowed by Scioneaux ended the Reserve, Louisiana native's school record streak of 36.1 scoreless innings, as he passed the previous program mark of 31.0 set by Lou Paternostro in 1963.
 
The Lions cut into the lead with a two-out rally in the bottom of the seventh. Junior catcher Chris Eades walked, moved to second on a single by sophomore centerfielder Jacob Seward and scored when Crites lined a double into right centerfield to cut the lead to 3-2.
 
The Islanders got the run back in the top of the eighth inning on another unearned run. Senior left fielder Jordan Lee led off the frame with a single, moved to second on a passed ball and eventually scored on an RBI double by senior centerfielder Tyler Ware to push the AMCC advantage to 4-2.
 
From that point on, the Lions would never threaten. Senior reliever Jacob Dorris recorded the last five outs to earn his ninth save of the season and give the
 
AMCC – 000 000 310 – 4 6 1 (24-24)
SLU – 010 000 100 – 2 5 3 (41-16)
Trevor Belicek, Jacob Dorris (8) and Lukas Hermanson. Tate Scioneaux, Kyle Keller (8) and Chris Eades. W – Belicek (9-4). L – Scioneaux (9-3). Save – Dorris (9). 2B – SLU: Ryan Byers (8), Kevin Carr (14), Carson Crites (6). T – 2:10. A – n/a.
 
2015 Southland Conference Baseball Tournament
 
Wednesday, May 20
Game 1 – No. 6 Central Arkansas 7, No. 3 Nicholls 6
Game 2 – No. 7 Houston Baptist 4, No. 2 Northwestern State 1
Game 3 – No. 8 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 4, No. 1 Southeastern Louisiana 2
Game 4 – No. 4 McNeese State vs. No. 5 Sam Houston State, 7 p.m.
 
Thursday, May 21
Game 5 – Nicholls vs. Northwestern State, 9 a.m.
Game 6 – Southeastern Louisiana vs. Game 4 loser, 12 p.m.
Game 7 – Central Arkansas vs. Houston Baptist, 4 p.m.
Game 8 – Texas A&M-Corpus Christi vs. Game 4 winner, 7 p.m.
 
Friday, May 22
Game 9 – Game 7 loser vs. Game 5 winner, 9 a.m.
Game 10 – Game 8 loser vs. Game 6 winner, 12 p.m.
Game 11 – Game 7 winner vs. Game 9 winner, 4 p.m.
Game 12 – Game 8 winner vs. Game 10 winner, 7 p.m.
 
Saturday, May 23
Game 13 – Game 11 loser vs. Game 11 winner, 9 a.m.*
Game 14 – Game 12 loser vs. Game 12 winner, 1 p.m.**
Championship Game – Division winners, 6 p.m.
 
* - Game 13 will be necessary if the winner of Game 9 also wins Game 11
** - Game 14 will be necessary if the winner of Game 10 also wins Game 12
If only one of the two early games is necessary on Saturday, it will be played at 1 p.m., with the Championship Game starting at 6 p.m.