HAMMOND – The No. 23-ranked Southeastern Louisiana University baseball team returns to action on Friday when it plays hosts to Southland Conference leader Texas State at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.
First pitch for Friday's opener is scheduled for 6 p.m. The series resumes on Saturday at 2 p.m. before concluding on 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.
Tickets can be purchased by calling the Southeastern Athletic Ticket Office at (985) 549-5466 or on-line at www.LionSports.net.
Southeastern (No. 23 USA Today/ESPN Coaches Poll, No. 29 Collegiate Baseball) resumes Southland Conference play after falling to Alabama, 10-5, before a crowd of 2,108 on Wednesday. Southeastern (27-8, 10-5 SLC) enters the weekend trailing Texas State (20-11, 12-3 SLC), the defending regular-season champion, by two games.
Freshman
Brock Hebert paces Southeastern at the plate with a .348 average. The former South Terrebonne High product, who is hitting .431 in Southland Conference play, has slugged two home runs and is second on the team in RBI with 35.
Cody Gougler (.336-4-29) and
Jeff Harkensee (.336-3-26) are next in hitting for Southeastern, which hits .300 as a team.
Justin Boudreaux (.329-8-39) leads the Lions in home runs and RBI while
Cass Hargis (.327-0-26) is second on the team in doubles (14) and stolen bases (11).
Southeastern will send junior right-hander
Brandon Efferson (6-1, 2.58 ERA) to the mound in Friday's opener with
Tyler Watkins (3-2, 3.59 ERA) slated to pitch on Saturday. Sunday's starter for the Lions is to be announced.
As a staff, Southeastern leads the Southland Conference with a 3.69 ERA and 13 saves.
Chris Franklin (4-3, 6 saves, 2.45 ERA) and
Josh Janway (3-0, 5 saves, 1.93 ERA) highlight a pitching staff that has pitched a pair of shutouts in Southland Conference play while holding opponents to .272 at the plate.
Texas State enters the series hitting .314 as a team with Laurn Randell pacing the Bobcats with a .370 average. Bret Atwood (.348-0-17), Kyle Kubitza (.347-4-28), Kyle Livingstone (.344-5-30) and Jason Martinson (.342-4-30) are among five regulars hitting .340 or above for Texas State.
Carson Smith (4-2, 3.81 ERA) is slated to pitch in Friday's opener for the Bobcats with Michael Russo (4-0, 3.73 ERA) expected to pitch on Saturday. Lee Colon (.4-2, 5.14 ERA) is the expected starter for Sunday's finale.
