CONWAY, Ark. – Central Arkansas completed a series sweep of Southeastern Louisiana with 3-2 win Saturday in Southland Conference action at Bear Stadium.
It is the first time Southeastern (36-18, 22-8 Southland) has been swept in a series since April 25-27, 2014 at Sam Houston State.
Each team scored an unearned run in the second inning. Central Arkansas (28-25, 16-14 Southland) tacked on single runs in the third and fourth to take a 3-1 lead into the latter innings.
Daniel Midyett and
Jameson Fisher knocked back-to-back singles leading off both the third and fifth innings, but the Lions failed to plate them either time.
In the seventh, Midyett drew a two-out walk to keep the inning alive. After advancing to second base on a wild pitch, he scored on Fisher's RBI double to left-center field.
Tyler Gray (6-1) earned the win, allowing one unearned run in five innings of work. He scattered six hits and walked a pair, striking out eight. Connor McClain, who worked a pair of perfect innings in relief, earned his first save of the season.
Domenick Carlini (6-2) suffered the loss, allowing all three runs on seven hits in three-plus innings of work. The senior left-hander walked one and struck out a pair. Right-hander
Josh Green worked 4.2 scoreless innings in relief for the Lions, allowing two hits and fanning a pair.
Fisher, who entered the game leading the nation in both batting average and on-base percentage, went 3-for-4 at the plate to lead Southeastern. He raised his batting average to .456 and his on-base percentage to .577 heading into the Southland Conference Baseball Tournament.
Midyett (2-for-3) and
Derrick Mount (2-for-4) also turned in multi-hit performances for the Lions.
Sam Houston State (37-19, 24-6 Southland) which completed a series sweep of Houston Baptist won the Southland's regular season title outright and will be the No. 1 see in the tournament.
Southeastern is the No. 2 seed and will face No. 7-seeded New Orleans in the first round of the 2016 conference tournament, Wednesday at 12 p.m., in Sugar Land, Texas.
Tickets for the tournament may be purchased through the Sugar Land Skeeters website, www.SugarLandSkeeters.com, or by contacting the Skeeters office at (281) 240-4487.
Central Arkansas 3, Southeastern 2 (May 21, 2016 at Conway, Ark.)
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Southeastern........... 010 000 100 - 2 8 2 (36-18, 22-8 SLC)
Central Arkansas.... 011 100 00X - 3 9 1 (28-25, 16-14 SLC)
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Pitchers: Southeastern - Carlini, Domenick; Green, Josh (4); Avans, Drew (8) and Roberson, Sam. Central Arkansas - Gray, Tyler; Gilmore, Connor (6); McClain, Connor (8) and Hancock, William.
Win-Gray, Tyler (6-1) Save-McClain, Connor (1) Loss-Carlini, Domenick(6-2) T-2:51 A-426
Carlini, D. faced 2 batters in the 4th.
