HAMMOND – The Southeastern Louisiana University baseball team opens its longest road trip of the season on Wednesday when it travels to face in-state rival Louisiana-Lafayette at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field.

First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. The game can be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9) and on the internet at www.LionSports.net. After facing ULL (9-6) to complete the season series, Southeastern (15-1) will visit McNeese State for a three-game series beginning on Friday before concluding at Jackson State on March 23.

After posting a three-game sweep over Southland Conference rival UTSA last weekend at home, Southeastern (No. 17 in Collegiate Baseball, No. 30 National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association) ventures away for its first extended trip since earning a three-game sweep at Mississippi State last month.

The Lions' three-game sweep in Starkville vaulted them into the national rankings for the first time since joining Division I in 1981 and Southeastern has climbed in the rankings the past two weeks, making its first-ever appearance in the NCBWA poll that was released Monday afternoon.

Southeastern, which is hitting .295 as a team, is led at the plate by Justin Boudreaux with a .397 average and three home runs. The former Dutchtown High product is second on the team with 16 RBI and is tied for the league lead in runs scored (19).

Jeff Harkensee, the Southland Conference leader in hits (26) and doubles (10), is hitting .394 for the Lions with two home runs and 13 RBI while freshman Brock Hebert, a .311 hitter, leads the team and is fourth in the league with 20 RBI.

Cody Gougler (.306-2-14) and Cass Hargis (.288-0-13) are next for Southeastern, which leads the Southland Conference in runs scored (140), walks (101), hit-by-pitch (40) and on-base percentage (.444).

Freshman Jordan Hymel (2-0, 2.84 ERA) will earn the start for Southeastern on the mound with the Ragin' Cajuns countering with right-hander Michael Cook (1-0, 0.00).

ULL, which faced Southern on Tuesday, is led at the plate by Jordan Poirrier (.375-5-19) and Alex Fuselier (.360-2-14). Chad Keefer and Brian Bowman are hitting .333 each for the Cajuns with Kyle Olasin (.319) and Matt Goulas (.310) next.

As a team, ULL is hitting .293 while its pitching staff is recording a 3.04 team ERA.

Southeastern claimed the previous meeting between the schools, 11-4, on March 3 in Hammond. The Lions trailed 1-0 before scoring four runs in the bottom of the third inning and pulled away with a six-run seventh in earning the win.

Boudreaux and Harkensee each went 3-for-4 to lead the Lions while Hebert drove in four runs, including a bases-clearing double in the third. Bowman and Poirrier collected two hits each for the Cajuns, who turned a triple play – their first since the 1997 season against Lamar.