POSTED: Tuesday, April 3, 2012 - 10:30pm
UPDATED: Wednesday, April 4, 2012 - 1:10am
LAFAYETTE, LA — Down to its final strike, Southeastern Louisiana rallied Tuesday for a 2-1 victory over Louisiana-Lafayette.
In a pitching-dominated contest, the Lions received the biggest hit of the night from Jonathan Pace with 1-2 count and two outs in the ninth.
The Lions (21-9) broke up ULL starter Austin Robichaux's no-hitter with a one out single in the seventh by Brock Hebert. After walking Ladd Rhodes to open the game, Robichaux retired the next 19 hitters in order until Hebert snapped the streak.
Jacob Fisher started the comeback with a lead-off single in the ninth. Ryan Downing pinch ran and Ladd Rhodes laid down a sacrifice bunt that Robichaux (0-4) mishandled. With two on and nobody out, Michael Rutland put down a sac bunt to move both into scoring position.
Hebert hit a comebacker to the mound and Robichaux caught Downing off the bag at third. Downing forced the third baseman to chase him down, allowing Rhodes to take third and Hebert to wind up at second.
With two outs and a 1-2 count, Jonathan Pace doubled down the left field line to drive in Rhodes and Hebert for the lead. Pace's double was just the fourth hit of the game and second of the inning for the Lions.
In the bottom of the ninth, Stefan Lopez stranded the potential tying run at third for his 11th save of the season. With two out, cleanup hitter Chase Compton reached on an error by Pace and moved to third on an errant pickoff throw by Lopez. ULL designated hitter Tyler Frederick took a called third strike to end the game.
The Ragin' Cajuns scored their run in the fourth inning. Brian Bowman pushed a bunt up the first-base line for a single and an errant throw from Britt Gautreaux allowd Bowman to take second. After a ground out moved him to third, he scored on Dylan Butler's double off the center-field wall.
Freshman Tanner Rainey (1-0) picked up his first collegiate win and Robichaux took the loss after working 8.2 innings. Southeastern has now won nine in-a-row against ULL (13-15), which dropped its seventh-straight game overall.
Southeastern returns home Thursday to begin a three-game Southland Conference series against Central Arkansas at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field. Andro Čutura (2-1, 3.28) is scheduled get the start on the mound with the first pitch slated for 6 p.m.
Southeastern La. 2, Louisiana 1 (Apr 03, 2012 at Lafayette, La.)
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Southeastern La..... 000 000 002 - 2 4 3 (21-9)
UL-Lafayette.......... 000 100 000 - 1 3 1 (13-15)
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Pitchers: Southeastern La. - Bernard, Buck; Hills, Dylan (7); Rainey, Tanner (8); Lopez, Stefan (9). Louisiana - Robichaux, Austin; Hicks, Matt (9)
Win-Rainey, Tanner(1-0) Save-Lopez, Stefan(11) Loss-Robichaux, Austin(0-4) T-2:09 A-1813 E - Pace, J(3); Gautreaux, B(1); Lopez, S(1); Robichaux(3). DP - SLU 1. LOB - SLU 3; UL 4. 2B - Pace, J(5); Butler(5). SH - Rhodes, L(5); Rutland, M 2(9); Frederick(5). SB - Hebert, B(26). CS – Bowman(3). Weather: 81, Cloudy, S @ 5 MPH