NACOGDOCHES, Texas – HBU rallied for five runs in the top of the seventh inning to take a one-run lead, but Stephen F. Austin answered with three in the bottom half to go ahead for good and claim an 8-7 victory in a non-conference game between the two Southland foes Tuesday night at Jaycees Field.
Senior shortstop
Louie Payetta went 3-for-4 with a double, a walk, three RBIs and scored a run, while junior third baseman
Austin Zillweger went 2-for-4 with a double and scored for the Huskies (10-11). Senior designated hitter
Austin Saenz doubled and drove in a pair and junior centerfielder
Zane Otten walked twice, stole three bases and scored twice.
Slayton Vaughan went 2-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and two runs, while Zac Michener went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs for the Lumberjacks (11-11). Conner Fikes went 2-for-5 with a double and scored, Garrett McMullen and Nick Ramos went 2-for-4 and Stephen Stuart drove in two.
Tyler Starks (2-1) picked up the win for SFA, allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits in 1.2 innings, while starter Eric Polivka allowed one run on four hits with six strikeouts in five innings. Senior
Matt Harding (1-2) took the loss for HBU, allowing three runs, two earned, on three hits in one-third of an inning. Redshirt freshman
Zach Carter made his first career start for the Huskies, allowing one run on six hits with two strikeouts in three innings. Both teams used five pitchers on the night.
SFA got on the board first in the bottom of the second when Vaughan doubled and scored on an RBI single by Clark Kahawaii, but HBU answered in the third as Otten drew a leadoff walk and scored on a bases-loaded, double-play groundout.
The Lumberjacks socred four in the bottom of the fifth on Vaughan's two run single, Matthew Dickey's RBI fielder's choice and a bases-loaded walk to Tyler Kendrick for a 5-1 lead.
In the seventh, senior
Greg Espinosa drew a pinch-hit, bases-loaded walk to get the Huskies' rally started, then Payetta delivered a two-run single to left, junior rightfielder
Brandon Brintz singled and Saenz gave the Huskies a 6-5 lead with a two-run double down the leftfield line.
SFA loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning, then Stuart hit a grounder to that plated the tying run and resulted in a force-out at second, but the attempt at a double play sailed wide of first allowing the go-ahead run to score. Zach Valenzuela added a sacrifice fly to extend the Lumberjacks' lead to 8-6.
Zillweger doubled with one-out in the eighth, went to third on an error, then Espinosa walked and stole second. Payetta came through with an RBI infield single, but the Huskies left runners stranded on the corners to end the inning.
The Huskies return to action when they travel to face Central Arkansas in a three-game Southland Conference series Thursday through Saturday at Bears Stadium in Conway, Arkansas. Thursday's opener begins at 6 p.m., followed by a 4 p.m. start Friday and a 1 p.m. first pitch for the finale Saturday. The Legacy Sports Network broadcast with
Russ Reneau begins with the pregame show 15 minutes prior to each first pitch and can be accessed on HBUHuskies.com and LSN.
