ARLINGTON, Texas – The Southeastern Louisiana University baseball team returns to Southland Conference action on Friday when it begins a three-game series against UT Arlington at Clay Gould Ballpark.
First pitch is at 6:30 p.m. The series resumes on Saturday in a 2 p.m. contest 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 (20-10, 7-5) enters the weekend tied with UTA (16-13, 7-5 SLC) and Lamar for third place in the Southland Conference standings. The Lions took two of three games last week from Lamar before posting a 13-8 win over South Alabama on Tuesday.
The series against the Mavs is the first of two straight trips for Southeastern to the Lone Star State as the Lions face league leader Texas State beginning next Friday in San Marcos.
Justin Boudreaux leads Southeastern at the plate with a .390 average while ranking second in home runs (6) and RBI (29).
Jonathan Pace (.367-1-21),
Brock Hebert (.352-1-19),
Jeff Harkensee (.339-7-38),
Cass Hargis (.295-0-13) and
Josh Cryer (.294-1-18) are next in hitting for Southeastern, which enters the weekend fourth in the league with a .297 batting average with 19 home runs and 202 runs scored.
Right-hander
Brandon Efferson (4-2, 4.40 ERA) is slated to start in Friday's opener for the Lions with right-hander
Tyler Watkins (5-0, 1.90 ERA) expected to start on Saturday. The Lions' starter for Sunday is to be announced.
UTA dropped two of three games last week at Nicholls State before taking a 6-4 win over Dallas Baptist on Tuesday. The Mavs claimed Southland Conference series with two wins each against Sam Houston State, UTSA and Northwestern State before dropping their final two games against the Colonels last week.
Ryan Walker (.360-0-14) leads UTA at the plate with Michael Guerra (.333-2-15), Brian Nephew (.330-1-17) and Preston Beck (.315-2-18) next. As a team, the Mavs are hitting .286 as a team with seven home runs and 135 runs scored.
Right-hander Lance Day (2-4, 2.33 ERA) is scheduled to start in Friday's opener for UTA with right-hander Collin Reynolds (2-3, 4.66 ERA) expected to start on Saturday. The Mavs will send right-hander John Beck (1-1, 3.86 ERA) to the mound in Sunday's finale.
