HUNTSVILLE, Texas – Sam Houston State pulled ahead with a two-out double in the sixth inning Friday, holding on for a 5-3 win over Southeastern Louisiana in the series opener at Don Sanders Stadium.
 
The Bearkats (33-13, 19-3 Southland) extended their lead in the Southland Conference standings over second-place Southeastern (30-18, 17-8 Southland) to 3.5 games.
 
Down 1-0 in the second inning, Lion first baseman Kyle Schimpf tied the game with a solo home run to right-center field. The game-tying blast was the seventh of the season for the junior from Covington, Louisiana.
 
Southeastern took the lead, 2-1, in the fourth.
 
Schimpf knocked a two-out single to left field and advanced to second when Daniel Wasinger drew a walk. Mike Taylor singled up the middle, fighting off a pitch on the handle, to plate Schimpf.
 
The lead was short-lived.
 
Hunter Hearn and Blake Chisholm produced back-to-back singles to lead off the inning for Sam Houston. Hearn scored on a sacrifice fly off the bat of second baseman Chase Cryer to tie the game.
 
In the sixth, Bearkat designated hitter Jack Rogers led off the inning with a single up the middle. Chisholm was hit by a pitch with one out and the Lions issued a two-out intentional walk to Clayton Harp to load the bases. Catcher Jordan Cannon gave Sam Houston the lead, pulling a two-run double down the left-field line off the glove of Lion third baseman Taylor Schwaner.
 
Southeastern pulled within a run in the eighth on Daniel Wasinger's third home run of the season, a solo shot to left, but the Bearkats answered with a run in the bottom half of the inning.
 
Reliever Gabriel Sequeira (4-2) earned the win, striking out four batters in two scoreless innings. Dakota Mills retired all three batters he faced in the ninth, striking out one, to earn his 13th save of the season.
 
Josh Green (6-4) was saddled with the loss, allowing four runs in 5.2 innings.
 
Schimpf, who was 3-for-4 at the plate, led the Lions' offense.
 
The series continues Saturday at 3 p.m. Southeastern is slated to start redshirt junior right-hander Carlisle Koestler (7-1, 2.20), who leads the Southland in wins and ERA, opposite Bearkat junior southpaw Seth Ballew (5-1, 3.21).

The game can be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU 90.9 FM, and worldwide online or through either the Radio FX or TuneIn apps. Fans can also keep up with all the action through live statistics or by following @SLUathletics on Twitter. Originally slated for ESPN+, there will be no streaming video. Links to audio and stats are available on the baseball schedule page at www.LionSports.net.
 
DIAMOND CLUB / S CLUB
Fans interested in becoming active supporters of the baseball program are encouraged to join the Diamond Club. Lion baseball alums are encouraged to join the exclusive S Club, which is restricted to Southeastern athletic letter winners. S Club members also gain membership in the Diamond Club.
 
All membership fees and donations to both the Diamond Club and S Club (baseball) are available for the exclusive use of the Southeastern baseball program. Membership information is available by contacting the Lion Athletics Association at laa@southeastern.edu or (985) 549-5091.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on Lions Baseball, follow @Lions_Baseball on Twitter, @SLU_LionsBaseball on Instagram, like /SLUathletics on Facebook and subscribe to the SLUathletics YouTube channel.