By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information

HAMMOND, La. – A quick start by the home team was too much for the Tennessee Tech baseball team to overcome Saturday afternoon, as the Golden Eagles fell in the second contest of a three-game series at Southeastern Louisiana, 8-2.

Competing at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field, it was the Lions kicking things off with an immediate impact on the scoreboard, plating four runs in the bottom of the first inning. Entering the contest with just one out in the first, Tech reliever Frankie Cresta got Tech through the first third of the ball game.

The right-hander tossed three and one-third frames without allowing a run and scattering one hit and two walks. He fanned a team-high four batters on the day, staying in the contest until late in the fourth inning. Colt Taylor covered the next two and one-third innings, allowing one run on one walk and without surrendering a hit.

Logan Hewitt completed the final two innings for the purple and gold, scattering a pair of base knocks and holding the Lions scoreless with two punch-outs.

The two teams traded off scoreless frames in the second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth. The Golden Eagles finally found pay dirt on offense in the seventh. Following two quick outs, third baseman Gabe Lacy ripped a double to right-center field, his team-high third hit of the day in what would amount to four at-bats.

He scored on the next pitch, as left fielder Jason Hinchman blistered an RBI single to center field. SLU answered back with four more runs in the bottom half, blowing the game open with an 8-1 lead.

Tech snagged one more marker in the ninth, with shortstop Ed Johnson leading off the frame with a single to left field following a lengthy, 10-pitch at-bat. Two batters later, Hinchman did it again, peppering another RBI single to center field.

Lacy's three hits led the team while Johnson and Hinchman each recorded two knocks apiece as well.

The third and final game of the series is slated for a 1:00 p.m. CT first pitch Sunday afternoon in Hammond, La.

File photo by Jim Dillon