Box Score



HAMMOND, La. – Southeastern Louisiana scored six runs in the seventh inning to defeat Texas State, 6-1, and complete the sweep of the Bobcats.

The sweep, the first-ever for the Lions over Texas State, allowed Southeastern the opportunity to move into sole possession of second place in the Southland Conference race. Northwestern State dropped the final two games of its series with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to fall beneath the Lions in the conference standings.

Starters Buck Bernard and Kyle Finnegan (4-3) held the hitters down for the first five innings. After Bernard exited in favor of Dylan Hills (5-2) in the sixth inning, the lock-down pitching continued.

Southeastern finally broke the scoreless tie with its six-run seventh.

Ladd Rhodes drew a walk from Finnegan, the Bobcat starting and losing pitcher, to lead off the inning. After stealing second base, Rhodes was sacrificed to third by Lion catcher Jacob Fisher. Then Southeastern broke out the bats.

Brett Hoffman doubled off the left-center field wall to drive in Rhodes and start a string of six consecutive hits for the Lions. Ben Hernandez, Harry Slade, Alex Marse, Brock Hebert and Jonathan Pace all singled. Slade and Pace each drove in one run and Hebert drove in a pair.

Cody Gougler drew a walk to load the bases before Rhodes drew his second free pass of the inning, forcing in Hebert with the final run of the rally.

Stefan Lopez worked the ninth for the Lions, surrendering a solo home run to Jeff McVaney. The home run extended McVaney's hitting streak to 19 games.

Hills picked up the win for Southeastern with three innings of shutout relief.

The Lions travel to New Orleans Tuesday for a 6:30 p.m. game at Tulane. Southeastern's next home game is Wednesday as the the Lions host Jackson State in the makeup of a game rained out March 21. First pitch Wednesday is at 6 p.m.

Line Score
Texas State........... 000 000 001  -  1   4  1     (20-15, 8-10 SLC)
Southeastern La.... 000 000 60x  -  6 12  0     (25-11, 11-7 SLC)
Finnegan, Hart (7), Lemke (7), Adamek (7) and Kalenkosky. Bernard, Hills (6), Lopez (9) and Fisher. W – Hills (5-2). L - Finnegan (4-3). E – Smelser (8). DP – Texas State 2, SLU 1. LOB – Texas State 4, SLU 9. 2B – Hoffman (4). HR – McVaney (7). SH – Fisher (5). SB – Fuda (2), Orton (5), Rhodes (5). CS – Targun (1). T - 2:37. A – 931.