HAMMOND, La. – An abundance of talent heading into the 2013 college baseball season gives Southeastern Louisiana University coach
Jay Artigues multiple options both in the infield and behind the plate.
The influx of talent, coupled with experienced returners, will help the Lions replace the production of the Southland Conference Player and Hitter of the Year, the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association's Stopper of the Year and the first-team All-Conference first baseman.
Brock Hebert, drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 14th-round of the Major League Draft hit a conference-leading .374 with 58 runs scored and 36 stolen bases. First baseman
Jonathan Pace, the only other hitter to clear a .300 average, hit .350 with 42 runs batted in. The Lions also lose
Cody Gougler, a four-year starter and the team's leader in home runs as well as runs batted in.
Returning backstop
Sam Roberson (.207, two doubles) will split time behind the dish with freshman
Jameson Fisher, a 24th-round selection of the Chicago Cubs in last season's draft and the younger brother of two-year starter
Jacob Fisher. Redshirt-freshman
Kyle Bracey lends depth to the catching corps.
Alex Marse (.256, 20 runs), who enjoyed a torrid final month of the season, moves back to the infield for his senior season. The Paulina, La., native takes over for Hebert at second and will partner with preseason second-team All-Conference shortstop
Ben Hernandez (.280, 16 hit by pitches) up the middle. Hernandez laid down a Southland-record 22 sacrifice bunts last season.
Junior college transfers
Jesse Buratt,
Aaron Haag and
Gabe Woods will all vie for time on the corners as well as designated hitter.
Buratt, a former high school teammate of
Britt Gautreaux, was an All-Region selection last season at Baton Rouge Community College after hitting .312 with four home runs and 42 RBIs. He also threw a no-hitter this past summer while pitching for the Mohawk Valley DiamondDogs of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League.
Woods, a member of the Southeastern Conference Freshman All-Academic team at Ole Miss, will battle returner
Brett Hoffman (.212, .940 fielding percentage) at the hot corner. The Albany, La., native hit .330 last season with three home runs and 47 RBIs for former Lion Dillon Sudduth at Meridian Community College.
The powerful Haag takes over at first base, providing a thundering bat, above-average speed for a prototypical corner infielder and solid defensive skills around the bag. Haag was a NJCAA All-American as well as an All-ACCC Southern League and All-Region selection at Lurleen B. Wallace Community College. He hit .413 with 10 home runs and 45 RBIs.
Gautreaux and sophomore
Tanner Rainey will backup Haag at first while also seeing time elsewhere on the field. Gautreaux will see time in the outfield and provide an experienced, left-handed bat off the bench. Rainey will spend the bulk of his time on the mound for the Lions in 2013.
Ryan Byers,
Daniel Midyett and
Josh Watkins will also lend depth in their freshman seasons.
“I tip my hat to coach [Matt] Riser and coach [Daniel] Latham,” Artigues said. “They did a great job bringing in guys to fill the holes and needs that we had. We have a great group of returners, and with the newcomers, I'm very excited about the spring.”
Southeastern opens the 2013 season Friday at home against UT-Martin. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. and live stats will be available at www.LionSports.net. The game can be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9), on the internet at www.LionSports.net as well as on the KSLU iPhone and TuneIn Radio apps. A live video stream is also available through LionVision, which is located in the Fan Zone on www.LionSports.net.
|
# |
Player |
Pos |
B/T |
Ht |
Wt |
Cl |
Hometown |
Previous School |
|
8 |
Sam Roberson |
C |
R/R |
5-10 |
190 |
So |
Dallas, Texas |
Plano West Senior HS |
|
20 |
Kyle Bracey |
C |
R/R |
6-2 |
205 |
So |
Roseland, La. |
Amite HS |
|
23 |
Jameson Fisher |
C/IF |
L/R |
6-2 |
180 |
Fr |
Zachary, La. |
Zachary HS |
|
# |
Player |
Pos |
B/T |
Ht |
Wt |
Cl |
Hometown |
Previous School |
|
2 |
Ben Hernandez |
IF |
R/R |
5-11 |
180 |
Sr |
Baton Rouge, La. |
NW Florida St. College |
|
4 |
Alex Marse |
IF |
R/R |
5-10 |
165 |
Sr |
Paulina, La. |
St. Charles Catholic HS |
|
5 |
Gabe Woods |
IF |
R/R |
5-9 |
180 |
Jr |
Albany, La. |
Meridian CC |
|
21 |
Britt Gautreaux |
IF/OF |
L/L |
6-0 |
180 |
Jr |
Geismar, La. |
Dutchtown HS |
|
22 |
Brett Hoffman |
IF |
L/R |
6-1 |
195 |
So |
Coraopolis, Pa. |
Moon Area HS |
|
26 |
Tanner Rainey |
P/IF |
R/R |
6-2 |
210 |
So |
Folsom, La. |
St. Paul's HS |
|
30 |
Jesse Buratt |
IF |
R/R |
5-10 |
180 |
Jr |
Prairieville, La. |
Dutchtown HS |
|
31 |
Aaron Haag |
IF |
R/R |
6-4 |
220 |
Jr |
Andalusia, Ala. |
Lurleen B. Wallace CC |
|
36 |
Josh Watkins |
OF/IF |
L/R |
6-0 |
205 |
So |
Montgomery, Ala. |
Auburn |
|
39 |
Daniel Midyett |
IF |
S/R |
6-0 |
175 |
Fr |
Shreveport, La. |
Captain Shreve HS |
|
41 |
Ryan Byers |
IF/OF |
R/R |
5-11 |
180 |
Fr |
Ponchatoula, La. |
Ponchatoula HS |
