MOBILE, Ala. – Southeastern Louisiana extended its winning streak to eight straight with a 12-4 victory Tuesday over South Alabama at Stanky Field.
The Lions (12-4) defeated South Alabama (9-8) for the second time this season, beginning the streak with a 4-3, walk-off victory over the Jaguars in Pensacola, Florida, at the Cox Diamond Invitational.
A pair of South Alabama errors led to four unearned Lion runs in the third, breaking open a scoreless game.
Left fielder
Drew Avans started the rally, drawing a two-out walk from Jaguar starting pitcher Zach McMullen (0-2). Second baseman
Carson Crites chopped a grounder back to McMullen, but the left-hander bobbled the ball twice for an error.
Third baseman
Taylor Schwaner, a Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week, drew a walk to load the bases. Pitcher-designated hitter
Derrick Mount followed with a two-run single up the middle.
The throw back in from South Alabama center fielder Travis Swaggerty went to the backstop, allowing Schwaner and Mount to both move into scoring position. Lion center fielder
Jacob Seward followed with another two-run single up the middle.
In the fourth Schwaner worked a bases-loaded walk, staking Southeastern to a 5-0 lead.
Other big hits for the Lions included a two-run triple by Crites in the fifth and an RBI triple by first baseman
Scottie Sanders in the eighth.
South Alabama scored all four of its runs, just one earned, in the fifth.
Evan Hileman (3-0), the third of five Lion pitchers in the game, earned the win. The junior from St. Rose, Louisiana, worked 2.1 scoreless innings in relief, surrendering a pair of hits.
Junior pitchers
Josh Green and
Drew Avans each worked a scoreless inning in relief to close out the game.
McMullen was tagged with the loss, allowing four runs, all unearned, in 2.2 innings of work. He surrendered three hits and four walks, striking out one.
Seward (3-for-4), Crites (2-for-5), Mount (2-for-5),
Evan Pace (2-for-4) and Sanders (2-for-5) all turned in multi-hit performances. Every player in the Lion starting lineup reached base in the game.
Southeastern returns home to host Lamar in a Southland Conference series Friday through Sunday. Fans are encouraged to help "Green Out" Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field on Friday for St. Patrick's Day and Sunday's contest is a Cane's Challenge game.
Southeastern 12, South Alabama 4 (Mar 14, 2017 at Mobile, Ala.)
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Southeastern........... 004 150 020 - 12 14 2 (12-4)
South Alabama....... 000 040 000 - 4 8 3 (9-8)
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Pitchers: Southeastern - Mount, Derrick; Booth, Tyler (5); Hileman, Evan (5); Green, Josh (8); Avans, Drew (9) and Pace, Evan. South Alabama - McMullen, Zach; Spruiell, Harrison (3); Adair, Alex (5); Perez, Tyler (9) and Barnes, Jared.
Win-Hileman, Evan (3-0) Loss-McMullen, Zach (0-2) T-2:52 A-1281
