HAMMOND, LA ? Leftfielder Xavier Qualls hit a two-run double in the bottom of the 10th inning to give Southeastern Louisiana a 9-8 victory over Sam Houston State Saturday at Alumni Field in the second contest of a three-game Southland Conference baseball series.
With the score knotted at 1-1, Southeastern Louisiana (26-24, SLC 12-14) and Sam Houston State (31-21, SLC 16-10) each scored three runs in the seventh inning, a run apiece in the eighth, and two-runs in the ninth frame to take the contest into extra innings.
Sam Houston went ahead again with a run in the top of the 10th on a solo home run by Jaime Rohlmeier. But the Lions came back with two runs in the bottom of the frame as Cass Hargis and Chris Ernest each singled, then scored on Qualls' double.
Bearkat starter Guillaume Duguay held the Lions scoreless through the first five innings, allowing only two hits in that span. Southeastern Louisiana. But the Lions tied the game in an RBI single by Qualls in the sixth. Casey Summerlin hit a two-run home run in the seventh to end Duguay's day.
Zac Baker went three innings in relief. Matt Shelton (1-3) got the loss, pitching the final inning.
Sam Houston scored their eight runs on 16 hits and Rohlmeier went 3-for-4 with three RBIs, and Todd Sebek, Keith Stein, Seth Hammock, and Ryan Weber each had two hits.
Once again, the Bearkats struck first, as a left fielder Ryan Trevino notched a one-out double in the second and came around to score on an RBI single from second baseman Jamie Rohlmeier to put Sam Houston State in front 1-0 after two. Miley settled in after that, keeping the Bearkats off the board over the next four innings.
Meanwhile, Duguay was giving the Lion offense fits, holding Southeastern scoreless through the first five frames. The Lions managed to even things up in the sixth as Qualls delivered his first two-out RBI of the afternoon, singling through the hole on the right side of the infield to plate Ty Summerlin from second.
Miley ran into trouble in the seventh as the Bearkats strung together six hits, including an RBI triple from Rohlmeier to score three runs to take a 4-1 lead.
Southeastern answered in the bottom half, however, as junior right fielder Brian McCants drew a leadoff walk before senior third baseman Casey Summerlin drilled an opposite field homer to right center to cut the Bearkat lead to 4-3. Summerlin's two-run shot gave him five homers on the year, tying him for second on the team in that category. The Vancleave, Miss. native has homered in two consecutive games and in three of his last five contests.
The Lions added another run as junior designated hitter Brandon Street drove a two-out single to center to score junior shortstop Ty Summerlin to tie the game at 4-4 after seven.
Both teams turned matters over to the bullpens in the eighth. Junior right hander Ryan Collins came on in relief of Miley and ran into trouble in the eighth. The Bearkats plated a run on a two-out RBI single from shortstop Ryan Weber to take a 5-4 lead. However, the Lion offense returned the favor in the bottom half, as Casey Summerlin drove a two-out triple to the gap in right center and freshman pinch-hitter Cass Hargis beat out a slow-roller up the first base line for an RBI single to knot the game at 5-5 after eight.
Sam Houston State tried to pull away in the ninth as a walk to Bearkat DH Bobby Verbick and a fielding error by Casey Summerlin put runners at the corners with two outs. Trevino followed with a two-run double down the left field line to put the Lions in a 7-5 hole entering the ninth.
Southeastern struck back as a leadoff single by Ty Summerlin and an error by Weber on a ground ball from Street put runners on the corners with no outs to start the bottom of the ninth. Qualls beat out a high chopper to bring home Summerlin, making it 7-6. After a 4-3 ground ball from freshman first baseman Josh Cryer put runners at first and second with one out, McCants drew an intentional walk to load the bases. After Casey Summerlin struck out looking, senior catcher Matthew Schexnayder delivered a high chopper to third base and beating the throw as senior pinch runner Mitchell Haynes came home to score and tie the game at 7-7.
The Bearkats got out in front again in the tenth as Rohlmeier homered to left center to lead off the frame, but Collins retired the next three batters to send the game to the bottom of the tenth with Southeastern trailing 8-7.
Hargis and redhsirt sophomore pinch hitter Chris Ernest got things started for the Lions with consecutive singles to start the tenth against Bearkat closer Matt Shelton. Shelton looked to pitch out of the jam as Ty Summerlin fouled out to third and freshman pinch-hitter Brandon Efferson struck out swinging.
With the Lions down to their final out, again, it was Qualls who delivered. The Brookhaven, Miss. native drilled a double down the right field line to score Hargis and pinch runner Will Lefever and give the Lions a 9-8 win.
With the series even at one game apiece, the two teams will meet in the final game Sunday at 1 p.m.