Box Score Box Score
MOBILE, Ala. – Sean Laird went 4-for-5 and drove in the game-winning run with a fielder's choice with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning as South Alabama twice rallied from a four-run deficit and edged No. 22 Southeastern Louisiana, 12-11, contest Tuesday night at Stanky Field.
Zach Grichor went 3-for-3, scored three times and drove in a pair of runs as South Alabama (22-10) erased deficits of 5-1 and 11-7. Southeastern (24-6) will return to action on Friday when it plays host to UT Arlington in a three-game series at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.
Carlton Paris (1-0), one of five pitchers used by the Jaguars, tossed a scoreless ninth to earn the win. Adam Heisler led off the ninth for USA with a single before
Chris Franklin (3-2) walked Grichor and Jake Overstreet to load the bases. Brent Tanner hit a grounder that forced Heisler at the plate before Laird hit a sharp liner that allowed Grichor to score the winning run.
Southeastern took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a solo home run by
Justin Boudreaux before the Lions snapped a 1-1 tie with a four-run second.
Joe Sparacino and
Chad Gough-Fortenberry hit back-to-back doubles and freshman
Brock Hebert launched his first career home run with a two-run blast off USA starter Dustin Crenshaw.
South Alabama added a run in the second, three in the fourth and two in the fifth to take a 7-6 lead before Southeastern came back with five runs in the sixth.
Jeff Harkensee, who went 4-for-5 with three RBI to lead the Lions, belted a two-run double before
Josh Cryer drove in a run on a ground out and
Cody Gougler drove in a run when he reached on a fielder's choice.
The Jaguars scored a run in the sixth and three runs in the seventh to tie the game at 11-11 before their ninth-inning heroics.
Franklin, one of six pitchers used by Southeastern, pitched 2.1 innings and scattered three hits and fanned three. Hebert went 2-for-4 to extend his hitting streak to nine games while scoring a pair of runs.
Southeastern La..... 140 015 000 - 11 13 2 (24-6)
South Alabama....... 110 321 301 - 12 15 1 (22-10)
R. Boudreaux, Lorenz (1), Schneider (4), Janway (5), Hymel (6), Franklin (7) and Gough-Fortenberry. Crenshaw, Bailey (2), C. Brown (6), Byrd (6), Paris (9) and Tanner. Win – Paris (1-0). L – Franklin (3-2). E – J. Cryer (8), Gough-Fortenberry (4), Vick (5). DP - SLU 2, USA 1. LOB - SLU 7, USA 13. 2B – Harkensee 2 (15), Gougler (9), Sparacino (3), Gough-Fortenberry (3), Grichor (12), Overstreet (7), Tanner (9), B. Brown (7). 3B – Harkensee (1), Heisler (1), B. Brown (2). HR – J. Boudreaux (7), Hebert (1). HBP – J. Boudreaux, J. Cryer, Hebert, Heisler 2, Overstreet, Tanner, Vick. SH – Hargis (2). SF – Gougler (2), Reynolds (2). SB – J. Boudreaux (12), Heisler 2 (14), Reynolds (9). CS – Martin (2), White (2). T - 3:27. A – 847.
