HAMMOND – The Southeastern Louisiana University baseball team returns to Southland Conference action beginning Friday when it faces Sam Houston State at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.

First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. The series will resume on Saturday at 2 p.m. before concluding 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 (33-14, 15-9 Southland) enters the weekend in fifth place in the Southland Conference standings, three games behind leader Texas State, a game-and-a-half behind Stephen F. Austin, two games behind UT Arlington and a half-game behind Northwestern State. The Lions will face SFA next week in their final road series of the season before closing out the regular-season May 20-22 against visiting Northwestern State.

The Lions, who lead the league in runs scored (367), on-base percentage (.408), walks (227), hit by pitches (89) and sacrifice bunts (51), have six regulars in the lineup hitting .300 or better paced by Cody Gougler with a .341 average.

Jeff Harkensee (.332-5-36), Justin Boudreaux (.326-10-54), Cass Hargis (.314-0-35), Chris Ernest (.305-0-11) and Brock Hebert (.302-2-46) help pace a Southeastern club that is 22-5 at home this season and spent eight weeks in the national polls.

Southeastern will send junior right-hander Brandon Efferson (7-3, 2.93 ERA) to the mound in Friday's opener with the starters for the remaining two games to be announced.

SHSU (17-29, 9-15 Southland) has claimed the Southland Conference Tournament title the last three seasons under head coach Mark Johnson but is currently two games behind Lamar and Nicholls for the eighth and final spot.

The Bearkats are led at the plate by Chris Andreas, who is fourth in the league with a .382 average. Braeden Riley (.344-0-29), Mark Hudson (.340-8-31), Ryan Mooney (.326-2-24) and Greg Olson (.307-1-17) are next in hitting for SHSU, which is averaging .297 at the plate.

SHSU is scheduled for pitch Dallas Gallant (2-7, 4.74 ERA) in Friday's opener with Brandon Kimbrel (3-1, 6.19 ERA) slated to pitch Saturday and Paul Spinn (2-6, 6.44 ERA) on Sunday.

Tickets for the series are available by calling the Southeastern Athletic Ticket Office at (985) 549-5466 or on-line at www.LionSports.net.