The Bulldogs (42-15) will now play an elimination game on Saturday against Southeastern Louisiana at 3:05 p.m. EST. The Lions fell to top seed and host LSU, 8-4, in Friday's first game. The Cougars (45-15) will face the Tigers a winner's bracket game at 8:05 p.m.

Down to their final out in the ninth inning, senior Tom Gavitt (North Stonington, Conn.) singled through the left side to keep the Bulldogs' hopes alive. Freshman Matt Albanese (East Haddam, Conn.) was then summoned to pinch run and was able to take second as Houston closer Chase Wellbrock spiked a pitch in the dirt. Mullen then got himself into a 3-1 count and rocketed a single into center, scoring Albanese easily from second to tie the game at 2-2.

In the 10th, Ashford Fuller drew a leadoff walk, advanced to second on a sac bunt and over to third on a passed ball. With one out, Justin Montemayor lofted a fly ball to left field to score Fuller and send the Cougars into the winner's bracket final against LSU.

As they did last week in the Northeast Conference title game, the Bulldogs came roaring out of the gates. The first three batters – Carl Anderson (Sudbury, Mass.), Jordan Mountford (Guelph, Ont.) and AJ Zarozny (Shrewsbury, Mass.) – all roped singles, with Zarozny's laser to left scoring Anderson with the first run of the game. Bryant's scorching start, however, was cooled quickly. A strikeout and a 6-4-3 double play left the Black and Gold wanting more.

They had their chance in the third to add to the lead. Sophomore Dan Cellucci (Sudbury, Mass.) and Anderson collected back-to-back singles to start the inning and chase Houston starter Andrew Lantrip. Jared Robinson entered and got a strikeout and two-straight fly outs to end the threat. From there, Robinson was dominant, allowing one run on just two hits over 6.2 innings of relief.

Bryant starter Kevin McAvoy (Syracuse, N.Y.), meanwhile, was putting together another stellar outing in what could be his last as a Bulldog. The veteran right-hander allowed two unearned runs on three hits, walked three and struck out six over 6.2 innings.

He retired eight of the first nine batters he faced before issuing a two-out walk to Kyle Survance in the third. A catcher's interference advanced Survance to second, a wild pitch moved him to third and a passed ball brought him home to tie the game.

After a quick fourth inning, McAvoy hit trouble in the fifth as a walk, single and another catchers interference loaded the bases with one out. Facing Houston's most dangerous hitter, McAvoy got Casey Grayson to ground to third and Mullen turned it into an inning-ending 5-4-3 double play.

The Cougars were able to grab the lead in the sixth thanks to another Bulldog miscue. Montemayor doubled to dead center to start the inning and then moved up to third on a sac bunt from Connor Hollis. McAvoy, however, bobbled the bunt allowing both runners to reach safely. He was able to get a 6-4-3 double play ball off the bat of Frankie Ratcliff but Montemayor scored from third to make it 2-1.

Robinson kept the lead intact as he retired 13 of the next 14 batters from the fifth inning on before Gavitt's two-out rally-starting single in the ninth. Reliever Tyler Ford earned the win, tossing a scoreless inning of relief. Sophomore Kyle Wilcox (Sandy Hook, Conn.) suffered the loss, allowing an unearned run on no hits over 1.1 innings of relief.

Anderson, Zarozny, Mullen and Cellucci paced Bryant's 10-hit attack with two hits apiece.

Bryant and Southeast Louisiana will be meeting for the first time in program history on Saturday afternoon. The Bulldogs are 4-1 in elimination games in the last two seasons.