Lamar Falls Victim To Big Innings In 17-9 Loss To SE Louisiana

May 3, 2008

Southeastern Louisiana scored seven runs in the fourth and six in the sixth to claim a 17-9 win over Lamar at Vincent-Beck Stadium on Saturday and even the Southland Conference series at 1-1.

Lamar dropped to 29-17 overall and 15-8 in SLC play while Southeastern Louisiana improved to 24-22 and 11-12.

Lamar got on the scoreboard first when Tyler Link led off the game with a single, moved to second on a Brian Taylor sacrifice bunt, stole third and took home on a Wade Miley balk.

They Cardinals stretched the lead to 4-0 in the third thanks to three base hits and a fielding error by Lion third baseman Casey Summerlin. Logan Pace led off with a double to right center and scored from third on a single by Taylor. Steven Tucker followed with a single to put runners at the corners. Tucker then stole second and Jeff Vickers walked to load the bases with two out. Chris Dunkin then hit a chopper to third where Summerlin stabbed at the ball with his glove and it caromed into left field to allow Taylor and Tucker to come home.

The Lions first big inning came in the fourth. With one out, Xavier Qualls doubled and scored on Josh Cryer's triple to right field. Summerlin then hit a ball to right that appeared to be a routine fly ball but the wind carried it over the wall to make it a 4-3 game. Lamar starter Justin Walker then hit Bryan McCants and was replaced by Brian Needham, who then walked all three batters he faced, including Jordan D'Arensbourg with the bases loaded to knot the score at 4-4. Ty Summerlin hit a grounder to third where Chris Dunkin mishandled the ball out of his glove in trying to start a potential double play, allowing Andrew Hickman to score. Following a strikeout, Dunkin committed another error on a pop-up in the sun that bounded off the heel of his glove for the sixth run of the frame. A single to left by Cryer drove in D'Arensbourg to extend the SELA lead to 7-4.

Lamar responded with single runs in the next two innings to cut the deficit to one run at 7-6. Southeastern then had the second of their big innings with six runs on six hits to extend its lead to 13-6.

The scoring began on Ty Summerlin's one-out home run to center with one out. Consecutive singles and a walk loaded the bases when Casey Summerlin was hit to drive in Street. Cryer scored on Hickman's single to left before two more came home on Cass Hargis' single to left made it 13-6.

SELA score four in the eighth with two crossing home on Ty Summerlin's single to right. Lamar extended the game with two in the eighth and one in the ninth to provide the final tally. David Moore led off the eighth with a solo home run to center for his team-leading sixth of the season.

Needham (3-3) took the loss after walking three and allowing three runs. Lamar used a season-high seven pitchers. Ryan Collins (6-2) earned the win for the Lions after working 2.1 innings and striking out one.

Link went 3-for-4 with two sac bunts for Lamar and scored twice, while Taylor drove in three runs, scored once and had his team-leading ninth sac bunt. Travis Dunson and Moore each collected two hits. Lamar finished with 13 hits and left 12 men on base.

Cryer led SELA with four hits on two singles, a double and a triple. D'Arensbourg was 3-for-4 with a walk.

Sunday's rubber game is set for a 1 p.m. first pitch and can be heard on KLVI 560-AM.