HAMMOND, La. – An eight-inning masterpiece from Southeastern Louisiana starter Mac Sceroler limited Texas A&M-Corpus Christi to two hits as the Lions clinched the series with a 4-0 win Friday night at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.
Sceroler (3-2) dominated all night, striking out eight Islanders (9-12, 2-3 SLC) while scattering just two hits. The right-hander's eight innings of work marked a career high and Sceroler never allowed an Islander to reach scoring position. After a single from Casey Thomas as the second batter of the game, Sceroler retired each of the next 18 batters he faced until Zack Gibson singled in the seventh.
"Chris obviously put himself in some tough spots with the three hit-by-pitches in one inning and the three walks in the other," said head coach Scott Malone. "When we put those runners on, they came up with the big hits and at-bats. Jameson Fisher, the best bat in the league, stepped up and broke open the game with the huge 2-run double.
"On our side, we talked with our hitters and man we felt like we were suffocated, playing underwater all night," continued Malone. "That's a credit to Sceroler, I thought he was good. I just told our guys 'welcome to the Southland Conference', you're going to get some good arms and they got a great start tonight."
A&M-Corpus Christi's best and only chance came in the ninth, after Sceroler had exited the game. Reliever Derrick Mount walked the first two batters of the inning before being lifted from the game. The Islanders had 3-4-5 in the order due up, but Drew Avans retired each, ending the game with a caught looking as the Islanders were shutout for the second time this season.
Southeastern (17-6, 8-0) twice scored two runs in an inning to create early separation and cruise to the series-clinching victory. After cruising through the first two innings, Islander starter Chris Falwell (1-1) ran into trouble in the third. Falwell ended the night with 6 2/3 innings of work, allowing four runs, all earned on just five hits. The left-hander fanned eight, but seven free passes proved to be his undoing.
The third started with a 1-out hit-by-pitch before back-to-back singles loaded the bases. Southeastern opened the scoring on an RBI-groundout by Jameson Fisher, the first of three runs driven in by the slugger on the night. The next to batters were hit-by-pitch, forcing a second run across in the frame.
Two innings later, the Lions tacked on two more after a pair of walks opened the frame. Fisher provided the big hit, a 2 –run double down the right field line. The 4-run lead would be more than enough for Sceroler on the mound.
While the Lions scored the four runs in the third and fifth, Sceroler was busy retiring 18 straight in his best outing for the Lions. Gibson ended the run in the seventh with his single, keeping his reached base streak alive, now at 20 games.
SALVAGE SATURDAY
The Islanders look to salvage a game in the series and snap the Lions' record 11-game winning streak in the series finale set for 2 p.m. on Saturday.
