HAMMOND, La. – Tyler Finke capped a 5-for-5 night at the plate with a two-run home run in the ninth innings as the Southeastern Louisiana University baseball team rallied for an, 8-6, walk-off win Tuesday over South Alabama at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.
 
Finke's second homer of the game provided Southeastern (17-20) with its fourth walk-off win and ninth comeback victory of the season.
 
The Lion offense, minus Finke, was slow to get going against South Alabama (22-13). SLU was down, 2-0, in the fourth before someone other than Finke picked up a hit. Shea Thomas's RBI single to right field drove in Finke with Southeastern's first run.
 
South Alabama answered immediately with a pair of runs in the fifth off reliever Andrew Yuratich. A leadoff homer and a pair of one-out singles sandwiched around a wild pitch allowed the Jaguars to extend their lead to 4-1.
 
In the sixth, reliever Noah Smith retired the side in order, fanning a pair of batters, and the momentum started to shift. The Lions batted around in the bottom of the inning, taking the lead.
 
Rhett Rosevear led off the inning with a single to left field off Jaguar reliever Collin Brougham. Finke followed with the first of his two home runs in the game. Two pitches later, Brougham hit Faulkner with a pitch and Thomas followed with his second hit of the night – an RBI double off the wall in left-center field – tying the game.
 
Champ Artigues greeted reliever Eli Runyan by dropping down a bunt, beating it out for a hit. Runyan then hit Tristan Welch with a pitch, loading the bases, before picking up the first out of the inning. With one out, pinch-hitter Bryce Grizzaffi reached on a fielder's choice grounder that erased Thomas at the plate.
 
With the bases still loaded, Evan Keller followed with a single through the left side. Artigues and Welch scored as the Lions took a 6-4 lead.
 
Once again, the Jaguars answered immediately. A leadoff walk and a triple off reliever Daniel Dugas cut the lead in half. Another walk followed by a fielder's choice groundout plated the tying run before Dugas settled in, striking out the next two batters to end the inning.
 
The Lions picked up a pair of hits in the bottom of the seventh, but a double play in between erased the first runner.
 
South Alabama picked up a one-out walk in the eighth, but another double play ended the inning.
 
Welch led off the eighth with a single and was sacrificed to second. That was as far as got as Southeastern stranded him in scoring position.
 
Gage Trahan worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth for SLU, setting up the heroics in the bottom half of the inning.
 
Reliever Eli Copenhaver hit Rosevear with a pitch. It was the nation-leading 24^th HBP of the season for Rosevear, adding to his Southeastern single-season record and setting up Finke.
 
Trahan (2-1) earned the win, working a scoreless ninth. Copenhaver (0-1) suffered the loss, failing to retire either batter he faced.
 
Finke and Thomas (3-for-4) both turned in multi-hit performances.
 
A senior from Columbus, Indiana, Finke finished the night with five hits – three singles and two home runs – four RBIs, three runs scored and two stolen bases. He is the first Lion to blast a walk-off home run since Taylor Schwaner did so twice in the 2017 season – once on March 8 in the 12^th innings against West Virginia and again on March 29 in the 14^th inning of a game against UL Lafayette. (The game against UL Lafayette was resumed after having been suspended in the 11^th inning back on Feb. 20).
 
Finke is also the first Lion to enjoy a five-hit game since Jacob Seward accomplished the feat on April 25, 2015, at Houston Baptist.
 
With the victory, SLU has now won nine of its last 11 games.
 
UP NEXT
Southeastern returns to Southland Conference action this coming weekend in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The Lions face McNeese in a three-game series at Joe Miller Ballpark. Game times are 6 p.m. Friday, 6 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.
 
LIONS GAMEDAY EXPERIENCE APP
The Lions Gameday Experience app puts audio, stats, video, social media and more in the hands of fans. Those in attendance can also check in to earn reward points redeemable for Southeastern-related prizes. Available for both Android and iOS devices, it can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play or by following the link www.LionSports.net/App.
 
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 by visiting www.LionUp.com.
  
SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on Lions Baseball, follow @LionUpBaseball or @MattRiser17 on Twitter, @LionUpBaseball on Instagram and Facebook, and subscribe to the SLUathletics YouTube channel.