HAMMOND, La. – The Southeastern Louisiana University baseball team rallied for a pair of runs in the bottom of the ninth Saturday, walking off with a 7-6 win over Northwestern State in Southland Conference action to complete a sweep of the weekend series at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.
 
Southeastern (25-25, 9-14 SLC) held a 5-2 lead heading into the eighth, but the Demons (27-25, 12-12 SLC) scored four runs to jump out in front for the first time in the game.
 
As they had done all series, the Lions rallied off the Northwestern State bullpen.
 
Jake Killingsworth led off the ninth against Demon closer Kyle Froehlich with a double inside the third-base bag. Pinch-runner Joe Delaney advanced to third base on Champ Artigues' line-drive hit back up the middle that caromed off Froehlich. Clay Cook took over for Artigues as a pinch runner.
 
Shea Thomas tied the game with an RBI single to right field, driving in Delaney. TJ Salvaggio followed with the game-winning hit, pulling an RBI single into left field to plate Cook from second.
 
Both Thomas and Salvaggio had RBI hits earlier in the game. Thomas drove in Connor Manola with the first run of the game following his lead-off double in the second. Salvaggio sparked a three-run inning in the fourth, driving in both Killingsworth and Artigues with a two-out double. Taking third on the throw, he scored the final run of the inning on a wild pitch.
 
Brennan Stuprich did not factor in the decision despite turning in one of his best pitching performances of the season, allowing one run in six innings of work. He scattered four hits and one walk, striking out five batters.
 
Senior reliever Reid Reynolds (2-0), the fourth and final pitcher used by the Lions, earned the win. After surrendering a one-out single in the ninth, he induced an inning-ending double play. Froehlich (4-3) suffered the loss, his second of the series, after allowing two runs on four hits in 1.1 innings pitched.
 
Artigues (2-for-3), Killingsworth (2-for-4), Thomas (2-for-5) and Salvaggio (2-for-5) picked up a pair of hits each. Salvaggio drove three runs while Thomas plated a pair.
 
Southeastern finished the season as the hottest team in the Southland, ending on a six-game winning streak.
 
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.
 
LINE SCORE
Southeastern 7, Northwestern State 6 (May 20, 2023 at Hammond, La.)
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Northwestern State ... 000 001 140  -  6 11  1      (27-25, 12-12 SLC)
Southeastern …......... 010 301 002  -  7 10  0      (25-25, 9-14 SLC)
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Pitchers: Northwestern State - Brown, Drayton; Cossio, Andrew (5); Francis, Ethan (6); Prestwich, Chase (7); Froehlich, Kyle (8) and Sorensen, Bailyn; Willis, Bo. Southeastern - Stuprich, Brennan; Harrington, Trey (7); Rodriguez, Jackson (8); Reynolds, Reid (9) and Manola, Connor.
 
Win-Reynolds, Reid (2-0)  Loss-Froehlich, Kyle (4-3)  T-2:57  A-1108
Weather: 91 Partly Cloudy, W 8 mph
Harrington faced 2 batters in the 8th.