Stephen F. Austin
Texas State
SFA Hangs On For Seventh Straight Win
5/3/2008 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
May 3, 2008
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - The Lumberjack baseball team hit four home runs on Saturday, but had to hanng on for a 13-9 win over Texas State to extend its season-high win streak to seven games.
The win keeps SFA (21-25, 8-14) in the hunt for a berth in the SLC Tournament while Texas State (24-21, 14-9) has now lost seven of its last eight games.
Erik Gregersen picked up the win, tying his career long with a 7 2/3-inning stint in which he actually had shut out the 'Cats through two outs in the sixth.
SFA opened up an 8-0 lead early off of 'Cats starter Steven Siers, with Kai Kirby provi early spark for the 'Jacks. The junior tripled home a pair of runs in the second inning with two outs, before stealing home plate one pitch later for the third time this season. He added another pair of RBI in the fouth ona cue-shot double to left field and SFA was up 5-0 at the time.
That was until the fifth inning when Kevin Crabtree led off with his ninth home run of the season and Sean Meyers followed with his third of the year to give the 'Jacks back-to-back homers for the third time this year. Justin Roland joined the barrage two batters later with the first home run of his career.
The 'Cats would then score eight runs in the next three innings - all with two outs - beginning with a pair in the sixth. After SFA answered with a run in the bottom half of the inning, Jonathan Farrow added a solo home run in the top of the seventh to keep the 'Cats in it at 9-3. Texas State then used an unturned double play to keep the eighth inning alive and score five runs with two outs, as Gregersen was finally chased from the game. Heath Konesheck and Richard Folmer followed from the bullpen, but neither was able to record an out before Donnie Watson turned to Erich Lehmann to finish it off. He allowed one more run to score before getting SFA out of the frame with a 9-8 lead.
Roland then drove home what looked to be an insurance run in the bottom of the ninth before Matt Whatley unloaded a three-run home run off of 'Cats closer Josh Walter to open the game back up.
Lehmann allowed one more run to score in the bottom of the inning before eventually earning his second save of the year.
SFA goes for the sweep over Texas State at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday. Kevin Thomas is slated to throw for the 'Jacks against Zack Tritz for Texas State.
-SFA-
