HAMMOND, La. – Troy scored a pair of runs in the first inning and held off multiple advances by Southeastern Louisiana Friday at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field in a 3-2 Trojan win.
Southeastern (3-2) stranded 12 runners, leaving the bases loaded in the ninth, as the Lions could not push across the tying run against Troy (6-0).
Shortstop
Brennan Breaud, a freshman from Norco, Louisiana, turned in a 3-for-3 performance to lead Southeastern at the plate.
Breaud led off the third with a single through the right side, advancing to second base on
Jacob Seward's single to left field. Third baseman
Derrick Mount sacrificed both runners into scoring position, setting the Lions up to potentially tie the game.
First baseman
Jameson Fisher brought Breaud home with a chopper to first, but that was all Southeastern would get in the inning.
The Trojans scratched across the eventual winning run in the sixth on a pair of singles, a wild pitch and a stolen base.
Catcher
Chris Eades, a senior from Slidell, Louisiana, started a rally for the Lions in the seventh, leading off the inning with a single to right. After Breaud picked up his second hit of the night, a single to left, Seward sacrificed both runners into scoring position.
Mount brought home the Lions' second run the same way the first scored, with a ground out to first, plating Eades.
In the ninth Breaud once again led off with a single. Seward followed with his third hit of the evening, a bad-hop single through the right side. Following another Mount sacrifice bunt, Fisher was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out.
Senior designated hitter
Daniel Midyett battled hard, but struck out and
Julian Service grounded into a fielder's choice to end the game.
Lion starting pitcher
Kyle Cedotal (1-1) was tagged with the loss despite fanning 11 batters in six innings of work. Trojan starting pitcher Grant Bennett (2-0) earned the win and Corey Childress tossed a scoreless ninth to earn his third save of the season.
Saturday's game, which includes baseball-themed bingo, is slated for 2 p.m. against Troy (5-0). Students and campus organizations can also earn points toward their new Lion Up Loyalty account at any any of the three games just by checking-in on the mobile app while in attendance.
Fans can keep up with the game through live statistics or by following SLUathletics on Twitter. Streaming video is available on LionVision, Southeastern's subscription-based video stream. Links for video, stats and tickets are available on the baseball schedule page at www.LionSports.net.
Saturday the Lions will send right-hander
Mac Sceroler (1-0, 1.50), a sophomore from Denham Springs, Louisiana, to the mound against Troy righty Lucas Brown (1-0, 0.00).
General admission tickets are $8 for adults and $5 for children (ages 3-12). Tickets can be purchased in advance online at www.LionSports.net/Tickets. The box office at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field opens one hour prior to the scheduled first pitch.
Troy 3, Southeastern 2 (Feb 26, 2016 at Hammond, La.)
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Troy........................ 200 001 000 - 3 9 1 (6-0)
Southeastern........ 001 000 100 - 2 10 1 (3-2)
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Pitchers: Troy - Bennett, Grant; Skinner, Marc (8); Childress, Corey (9) and Smartt, Chase. Southeastern - Cedotal, Kyle; Granier, Kade (7) and Eades, Chris; Fisher, Jameson.
Win-Bennett, Grant (2-0) Save-Childress, Corey (3) Loss-Cedotal, Kyle (1-1) T-2:49 A-1022
Weather: Clear 54, WNW 3 mph
