Lions drop tough game at LSU, 4-3 - WAFB 9 News Baton Rouge, Louisiana News, Weather, Sports

BATON ROUGE, La. – A four-run LSU third inning Wednesday proved pivotal as Southeastern Louisiana dropped a tight road game to the nation's No. 3-ranked team, 4-3.

The Lions scored a pair of runs on wild pitches and forced LSU deep into the bullpen.

Southeastern (28-14) scored a two-out run in the first inning. Brock Hebert drew a walk and advanced to third on the first of Jonathan Pace's two hits in the game. Hebert won a foot race to the plate, scoring on a wild pitch by Tiger starter Joe Broussard.

LSU (33-9) placed a pair of back-to-back hits around a walk and a sacrifice fly, scoring four runs off a pair of Lion pitchers. Jacoby Jones and Arby Fields each singled to drive Josh Janway (2-3) from the game. Reliever Tanner Rainey walk Mason Katz to load the bases, but got Raph Rhymes to fly out. Rhymes, the nation's leading hitter, was credited with a sacrifice fly for driving in the game-tying run.

Austin Nola doubled in Fields and Tyler Moore drove in a pair with a single to center field.

The Lions scored another run on a wild pitch in the sixth inning. Ben Hernandez led off the inning with a single to right and stole second, his third stolen base of the season. Hernandez scored all the way from second on a wild pitch by Tiger reliever Joey Bourgeois.

Southeastern's final run crossed the plate in the eighth inning. Hernandez drew a two-out walk and scored from first on Hebert's triple off the left-center field wall. The ball missed leaving the park by approximately one foot. Hebert was caught at the plate, for the second time in the game, trying to score on a ball that kicked away from the catcher.

The road trip continues this weekend for the Lions, as Southeastern travels to Natchitoches, La. for a three-game Southland Conference series with Northwestern State. First pitch in the series opener is set for 6:30 p.m. Friday.

Information provided by SLU Athletics