NATCHITOCHES, La. – The Southeastern Louisiana University baseball team opens Southland Conference play Friday with the opener of a three-game series at Northwestern State. First pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

Southeastern (15-7) will send junior right-hander Sean Kennel (3-0, 1.56), the Southland's ERA leader, to the hill against Demon right-hander Robert Baker (2-1, 2.18) in the opener. Saturday, Lion freshman right-hander Tate Scioneaux (3-0, 2.32) draws junior left-hander Andrew Adams (0-2, 4.19) at 2 p.m.

Senior left-hander Jordan Hymel (2-2, 3.38) draws the starting nod for Southeastern in the 1 p.m. Sunday finale and will be opposed by junior southpaw Joey Parrack (0-3, 9.29).

The games can be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU-FM (90.9), on the internet through the Southeastern athletics website as well as on the KSLU iPhone and TuneIn Radio apps. Live stats, courtesy Northwestern State, will be available for all three games of the series. Links to audio and stats are located on the baseball schedule page at  www.LionSports.net.

Senior right fielder Harry Slade continues to lead Southeastern at the plate with a .363 average, sixth-best in the conference. Freshman catcher Jameson Fisher and junior third baseman Jesse Buratt lead the club with five doubles. Fisher, Aaron Haag, Tanner Rainey, Sam Roberson and Slade have each hit one home run. Haag and Slade lead the team with 18 runs batted in. Slade has swiped a team-best eight bases in 12 attempts.

Southeastern split a pair of games mid-week with South Alabama and Jackson State after sweeping a three-game series from Arkansas-Pine Bluff this past weekend. Northwestern State carries a six-game losing streak into the weekend after dropping a 13-inning nail-biter at LSU this past Wednesday.

Will Watson leads the Demons in batting average (.362) and RBIs (13). He joins Matt Baca, Cort Brinson and Todd Wallace with one home run. Edwin Gomez (6 SB – 9 Attempts) is the leading base-stealer for Northwestern State.

Southeastern returns to Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field Tuesday to face Louisiana-Lafayette at 6 p.m.


Southeastern Louisiana Lions (15-7) at Northwestern State Demons (9-14)

DATES / TIMES
Friday, March 22 – 6:30 p.m. CT
Saturday, March 23 – 2 p.m. CT
Sunday, March 24 – 1 p.m. CT

STADIUM
Brown-Stroud Field (Natchitoches, La.)

RADIO
• KSLU, 90.9 FM
• Pregame show starts 15 minutes prior to first pitch

INTERNET/SMARTPHONE
• www.LionSports.net – live audio and stats
• KSLU iPhone app, TuneIn Radio app

SERIES RECORD
• Northwestern State leads the series 40-35 since 1981
• In the last meeting, Southeastern won 4-2 (April 29, 2012)

PITCHING MATCHUPS
Game 1
SLU – Junior RHP Sean Kennel (3-0, 1.56) vs.
NWLA – Junior RHP Robert Baker (2-1, 2.18)

Game 2
SLU – Freshman RHP Tate Scioneaux (3-0, 2.32) vs.
NWLA – Junior LHP Andrew Adams (0-2, 4.19)

Game 3
SLU – Senior LHP Jordan Hymel (2-2, 3.38) vs.
NWLA – Junior LHP Joey Parrack (0-3, 9.29)