Game Notes
SAN MARCOS, Texas – The Southeastern Louisiana University baseball team makes its fourth consecutive appearance, and sixth overall, in the Southland Conference Tournament when it faces Sam Houston State at Bobcat Ballpark.
First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. The game can be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9) and on the internet at www.LionSports.net. Free live video and live statistics, courtesy of the Southland Conference, are available at www.LionSports.net.
Southeastern (35-20) enters the eight-team tournament as the No. 4 seed and is paired with No. 5 seed SHSU (34-22), top-seeded Texas State (35-20) and No. 8 seed Nicholls (26-27).
The Lions, who are 8-10 in the tournament (appearances in 1999, 2005, 2008-2011), face an SHSU squad that returns to the Southland Conference Tournament for the first time since 2009 when it won its third straight championship. The Bearkats have won their last 12 games in tournament play under head coach Mark Johnson.
Southeastern, which tied Texas State for the most wins among Southland Conference schools, enters the tournament with a .291 batting average with 29 home runs, 310 RBI and 78 stolen bases.
Jonathan Pace, one of seven players named to the All-Southland Conference team, leads Southeastern at the plate with a .349 average.
Brock Hebert (.344-2-31),
Justin Boudreaux (.332-8-48),
Cass Hargis (.321-0-27) and
Jeff Harkensee (.312-10-54) are among a group of players hitting .300 or above on the season with
Cody Gougler (.290-3-27) and
Josh Cryer (.271-2-40) following.
Right-hander
Tyler Watkins (10-3, 2.97 ERA) will start on the mound for Southeastern with SHSU expected to counter with right-hander Brandon Kimbrel (6-4, 3.51 ERA).
SHSU, which one of five league teams to win more than 30 games this season, hit .291 at the plate with 257 RBI on 552 hits and totaled 738 total bases – all of which ranked in the top 10 in the Southland.
Ryan Mooney leads the Bearkats at the plate with a .338 average with Chris Andreas (.324-11-52) leading the team in home runs and RBI. Kevin Miller (.308-0-22), Daniel Nottebart (.293-3-21), Mark Hudson (.291-3-35), Greg Olson (.290-0-14) and Braeden Riley (.282-0-29) are next in hitting for SHSU.
