HAMMOND, La. – Eli Johnson drove a bases-loaded single up the middle in the bottom of the 10th inning Wednesday night and GATA completed a three-game sweep of Mamba in Southeastern Louisiana's 2020 Heart of a Lion Fall World Series with an 8-7 victory at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.
 
The heroics were set up by several key moments and performances. Mamba (0-3) jumped out to an early, 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but GATA (3-0) quickly set to work chipping away at the deficit. Evan Keller scored in the bottom of the first without the benefit of a hit, inching a run closer. In the second inning, Keller delivered a two-run double to tie the game, 4-4.
 
In the fifth, left fielder Jacob Burke blasted a three-run homer to give GATA a 7-4 lead, but he would not have had the opportunity to put his team ahead without the pitching of senior reliever Cole Hoskins. The right-hander from Anaheim, California logged 3.2 scoreless innings of work after entering with one out in the third.

The night was far from over, however, as Mamba rallied for three runs in the eighth inning to tie the game while senior right-hander Noah Hughes locked down the GATA bats with three scoreless innings of relief.

In the 10th, Ryan Keeley (2-1) stranded the potential go-ahead run for Mamba at third base, setting the stage for Johnson's game-winner. 

Keeley earned the win, striking out two in one scoreless inning of relief work. Brennan Stuprich (0-1) suffered the loss, allowing the winning run to score without recording an out.

Burke finished the night 3-for-3 with three RBIs and a pair of runs scored, reaching in all four of his plate appearances. Joe Delaney also picked up multiple hits for GATA, going 2-for-3 at the plate. Kenneth Bell, III led Mamba with a 3-for-5 night offensively, driving in one and scoring one. Preston Faulkner (2-for-5) and Matt Taylor (2-for-5) also turned in multi-hit performances for Mamba in the final game. 
 
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.
 
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 or visiting www.LionUp.com.
  
SOCIAL MEDIA
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