HAMMOND, La. - Southeastern Louisiana pinch-hitter Chris Ernest delivered a bases loaded walk-off single to center field to lead the No. 21-ranked Lions to a 6-5 win over University of South Alabama baseball Wednesday night at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Park.

SLU (20-2) loaded the bases with a leadoff double and two intentional walks before Ernest ended the game with a one-out single.

USA first baseman Brad Hook went 3-for-3 with a home run, two RBI and one run scored to lead the Jaguars at the plate. Center fielder Taylor White also went 3-for-3 with a double, one stolen base and one run scored.

Jaguar left-hander Phillip Byrd (2-1) took the loss in one inning of relief, allowing one run on one hit. Southeastern Louisiana right-hander Chris Franklin (2-1) earned the win in 1.2 innings of shutout relief, allowing just one hit while striking out two.

SLU left fielder Jeff Harkensee went 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and one run scored to lead the Lions at the plate. Cody Gougler also went 2-for-4 with a double, one RBI and one run scored for SLU.

The Lions jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Cass Hargis scored the game's first run when Josh Cryer grounded into a bases loaded double play. USL scored their second run of the inning on an RBI single by Cody Gougler.

USA cut the SLU lead in half in the top of the third inning when Grichor tripled to left-center field to score Brent Mitchell from first base, who reached on a walk earlier in the inning.

The Jaguars took a 5-2 lead in the top of the fourth inning with four runs on two hits. Clint Reynolds doubled to center field to score Nolan Earley and White to give USA a 3-2 lead. Hook then followed with a pinch-hit two-run home run, his first of the season, to left field to put the Jags up three runs.

USL cut the Jaguar lead to 5-3 in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI double to left field by first baseman Trey Martin to score Brock Hebert, who doubled earlier in the inning.

The Lions tied the game 5-5 on a Harnkensee's two-run home run  to left field in the bottom of the sixth inning, before scoring the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninth.

USA (15-9) will return to action this weekend with a three-game Sun Belt Conference series at Middle Tennessee, beginning Friday at 6 p.m. in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

- USA -

NOTES:  USA second baseman Zach Grichor extended his on-base streak to 25 games with a triple in the top of the third inning ... Brent Tanner extended his on-base streak to 20 games with a single in the top of the second inning ... USA fell to 37-10 all-time against SLU, and 16-7 when playing in Hammond.