HAMMOND – Off to the second-best start in head coach Jay Artigues' tenure, the Southeastern Louisiana baseball team hosts familiar foe Eastern Illinois in a three-game series beginning Friday at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.

The 2012 visit by EIU marks the fourth time in five seasons the schools have faced each other and the Lions have taken seven of the nine games in the series. First pitch for the series opener is scheduled for 6 p.m. The game, sponsored by Star Equipment, can be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9) and live statistics are available at www.LionSports.net.

Southeastern (4-0) defeated Louisiana-Lafayette Wednesday, 6-5. Ponchatoula's Dylan Hills picked up his second win in as many ballgames and Brock Hebert continued his torrid hitting as the Lions took advantage of ULL miscues for their eighth-straight win in the series.

Hebert leads the team with a .600 batting average, .867 slugging percentage and a .647 on-base percentage. Junior transfer Harry Slade leads the team with eight RBI. The Lions are hitting .248 as a team.

Senior right-hander Joseph Koon (1-0, 3.00) will toe the rubber in the series opener for Southeastern and is slated to oppose left-hander Christian Slazinik (1-0, 0.00) for the Panthers.

EIU (1-1) opened its season at the Jackson State Tournament by pounding Mississippi Valley State, 11-2, and dropping a 2-1 decision to host Jackson State. The Panthers also had a game against each school rained out.

Jacob Reese (.714) and Ben Thoma (.571) lead EIU in hitting. Through the first two games, the Panthers are hitting .324 as a team and the pitching staff has yet to surrender an earned run.

Saturday's game will feature baseball bingo and first pitch is slated for 2 p.m. Academy's Sunday in the Park is scheduled for the 1 p.m. series finale.