BEAUMONT, Texas – Southeastern Louisiana scored three, two-out runs in the fifth inning Saturday, holding off repeated attempts by Lamar to rally in a 5-2 Lion win in Southland Conference action at Vincent-Beck Stadium.

The Southeastern (34-13, 20-3 Southland) rally almost stalled out before it started against Lamar (31-14, 16-7 Southland).

Cardinal starting pitcher Billy Love limited Southeastern to a pair of hits over the first four innings as Lamar scratched out a 1-0 lead.

Love issued a one-out walk in the fifth to Lion right fielder Webb Bobo and Southeastern coach Matt Riser made a pair of moves. Riser sent Ryan Byers in as a pinch runner and Sam Roberson to the plate as a pinch hitter for catcher Chris Eades.

Roberson followed with his second key pinch hit in just over a week, slapping a single through the right side. Byers, however, was gunned down at third by Lamar right fielder Cutter McDowell while trying to take an extra base on the play.

Southeastern center fielder Jacob Seward picked up his teammates, cranking an RBI triple over McDowell's head to tie the game. Seward scored to give the Lions the lead, 2-1, on a bunt single up the third-base line by Derrick Mount. The Lion third baseman, Mount would later score on a single to center by designated hitter Daniel Midyett.

In all, the Lions strung together five straight, two-out hits off Love, taking a 3-1 lead.

Lamar pulled within one in the bottom of the inning, scoring a run on a one-out double by second baseman Chaneng Varela.

Southeastern responded by tacking on a pair of runs in the sixth.

Left fielder Drew Avans led off the inning by pulling a single through the right side. After stealing second, Byers smacked his second run-scoring triple in as many games. The extra-base hit chased Love from the game.

Roberson greeted reliever Fernando Martinez with an RBI double just inside the first-base bag.

Southeastern starting pitcher Mac Sceroler (9-2) worked around nine hits in six innings to earn the win. The sophomore right-hander from Denham Springs, Louisiana, allowed two runs, both earned, while fanning five without walking a batter.

Over the course of the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth innings, Sceroler combined with relievers Cliff Hurst and Kade Granier to hold off all attempts to rally by the Cardinals. Lamar stranded a pair of runners in each of the four innings.

Granier earned his seventh save of the season, working 2.2 scoreless innings to close out the game. The sophomore from Destrahan, Louisiana, surrendered one hit and one walk. He fanned a pair, including the final batter of the game.

Love (5-3) was charged with the loss, allowing all five Lion runs over five innings of work. Martinez closed out the game with four scoreless innings of relief for Lamar.

Roberson, who did not enter the game until the fifth, enjoyed his second three-hit game (3-for-3) of the season. Mount (2-for-4) and shortstop Brennan Breaud (2-for-4) also enjoyed multi-hit performances for the Lions.

Conference-leading Southeastern, which clinched a return trip to the Southland tournament with Friday's series-opening win, maintains at least a one-game lead over Sam Houston State and is now four games up on Lamar. The Cardinals host Sam Houston State next weekend, while the Lions play five of their final seven conference games on the road.

The series finale is slated for 1 p.m. Sunday and the Lions will send senior left-hander Domenick Carlini (5-1, 2.01) to the mound opposite Lamar junior right-hander Jimmy Johnson (7-2, 3.05).

The game can be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU 90.9 FM, online and through the TuneIn Radio app (search for KSLU). Fans can also keep up with the game through live statistics or by following SLUathletics on Twitter. Links for audio, video and stats are available on the baseball schedule page at www.LionSports.net.


Southeastern 5, Lamar 2 (May 07, 2016 at Beaumont, Texas)
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Southeastern........ 000 032 000 - 5 11 1 (34-13, 20-3 SLC)
Lamar.................. 001 010 000 - 2 10 0 (31-14, 16-7 SLC)
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Pitchers: Southeastern - Sceroler, Mac; Hurst, Cliff (7); Granier, Kade (7) and Eades, Chris; Roberson, Sam. Lamar - Love, Billy; Martinez, Fernando (6) and Arredondo, Bryndan.

Win-Sceroler, Mac (9-2) Save-Granier, Kade (7) Loss-Love, Billy (5-3) T-2:46 A-643
Weather: 81 degrees and clear
Love, B. faced 2 batters in the 6th.