HAMMOND – The Southeastern Louisiana University baseball team continues its five-game road trip on Friday as it opens a three-game Southland Conference series at McNeese State.
First pitch in Friday's opener is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. The teams will return to action on Saturday at 3 p.m. before concluding the series Sunday at 1. All three games can be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9) and on the internet at www.LionSports.net.
Southeastern (No. 17 Collegiate Baseball, No. 30 NCBWA) won its fifth consecutive game and improved to 16-1 overall after a come-from-behind 9-4 win at Louisiana-Lafayette on Wednesday. The Lions trailed 3-0 after two innings before erupting for nine runs to sweep the season series for the second consecutive year.
The Lions, who opened Southland Conference action last weekend with a three-game sweep of UTSA, collected 12 hits off five ULL pitchers while the freshmen tandem of
Jordan Hymel and
Stefan Lopezallowed one run over the final seven innings.
Justin Boudreaux, who extended his hitting streak to nine games, leads Southeastern with a .388 average and three home runs.
Jeff Harkensee (.371-2-14),
Cody Gougler (.333-2-16),
Brock Hebert (.313-0-22) and
Cass Hargis (.296-0-14) are next in hitting for the Lions.
Right-hander
Tyler Watkins (1-1, 4.18 ERA) will earn the start in Friday's opener for Southeastern with right-hander
Brandon Efferson (4-0, 2.10 ERA) slated to pitch on Saturday. The Lions will send right-hander
Tanner Lorenz (2-0, 2.37 ERA) to the mound in Sunday's finale.
McNeese State (7-7, 1-2 SLC) opened the season with a three-game sweep of Valparasio before a 2-1 loss at then top-ranked LSU on Feb. 24. The Cowboys, who are 4-0 at home that includes a 12-11 victory over UNO, lost two of three games last weekend at Northwestern State.
Steven Irvine leads a potent McNeese State offense with a .429 average with five home runs and 14 RBI. Mace Hebert (.385-0-2) and Jace Peterson (.383-1-11) are next in hitting for the Cowboys, who are hitting .306 as a team with 20 home runs.
Dustin Lloyd (0-3, 4.50 ERA) will earn the start in Friday's opener for McNeese State with Jonathan Conrad (3-1, 3.65 ERA) slated to pitch Saturday and Zach Butler (0-1, 4.66 ERA) on Sunday.
