HAMMOND, La. – The fall practice period for the Southeastern Louisiana baseball team wrapped up this past Wednesday with the final game of the annual Heart of a Lion Fall World Series.
With the series split two games apiece, the Sons of Pitches took the final game, 6-4, claiming the fall title over the Inglorious BASEterds.
For Southeastern head coach
Matt Riser the fall was a chance to continue building upon a championship foundation.
The Lions are coming off one of the most successful seasons in school history, setting the school record for overall wins (42-17) and the Southland record for conference wins (25-5) on the way to claiming the conference's regular-season title.
"With a small incoming class, we tried to pick up where left off," Riser said. "We wanted to get them introduced as quickly as possible. They bought in right way and our older guys did good job of teaching them the ropes. The fall was very productive. We're not Game One ready, but I'm excited where we are here at the end of the fall.
"Watching the guys compete, this was probably the most competitive fall world series we've ever had. Guys are seeing there's depth and no position is safe."
Southeastern's most recent recruiting class yielded 11 players overall, nine of them being true freshmen. A chance to see them in a Lion uniform left some definite impressions on Riser.
"Derrick Mount and Cliff Hurst both showed exceptional competitiveness and stuff," Riser said. "They can pitch the back end of games. For the freshmen, Payton Robinson and Carlo Graffeo have bright careers ahead of them. I'm also really pleased with
Josh Green returning on the mound. He has a chance to see a lot of innings in the spring."
Last year the Lions' depth was tested by a couple of season-ending injuries. This fall, with key players back healthy, Riser is looking forward to a repeat as conference champs.
"It was great to get
Jameson Fisher and
Sam Roberson back," Riser said. "They are huge additions and it gives us a ton of depth."
Southeastern opens the 2016 season with an 8-game homestand beginning Feb. 19 against ULM.
GAME THREE - Sons of Pitches 4, Inglorious BASEterds 1In the first game of a doubleheader at St. Thomas Aquinas High School, the Sons of Pitches scored all the runs they would need for a 4-1 win on a big first-inning blast.
Kyle Cedotal knocked a 1-out single in the bottom of the first and came around to score on
Chris Eades' 2-out, 2-run home run. The Sons of Pitches added two more runs in the fourth.
The Inglorious BASEterds scored their run in the sixth.
Kennon Menard, who had singled and then stole second base, scored on an RBI single by
Julian Service.
Sophomore third baseman
Taylor Schwaner led Sons of Pitches at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a double.
Daniel Midyett and Mount also picked up hits to go along with Cedotal and Eades.
Fisher and
Nico Cuccia picked up the Inglorious BASEterds other two hits in the game.
Mac Sceroler (1-0) earned the win after tossing five innings of 2-hit shutout ball. The sophomore from Denham Springs, Louisiana, fanned six and did not walk a batter. Freshman right-hander Matt Dalke worked a scoreless ninth for the save.
Sons of Pitches 4, Inglorious BASEterds 1 (Nov. 3, 2015 at Hammond, La.)
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Inglorious BASEterds....... 000 001 0 - 1 4 2 (1-2)
Sons of Pitches.................. 200 200 X - 4 6 0 (2-1)
----------------------------------------------------------------------Pitchers: Inglorious BASEterds – Von Rosenberg, Gabe; Tassin, Bryce (6) and Roberson, Sam. Sons of Pitches – Sceroler, Mac; Wilson, Devontae (6); Dalke, Matt (7) and Eades, Chris.
Win-Sceroler, Mac (1-0) Save-Dalke, Matt (1) Loss-Von Rosenberg, Gabe (0-1)
HR – Eades, Chris
GAME FOUR - Inglorious BASEterds 1, Sons of Pitches 0In the second game of a doubleheader, right-handers Green (1-0) and Graffeo (0-2) hooked up in a pitcher's duel.
The Inglorious BASEterds scored the only run of the game in the bottom of the second inning on a solo home run by
Webb Bobo.
Bobo, a junior from Prattville, Alabama, went 2-for-2 with a double and the solo shot. Fisher, who doubled, and Menard had the team's other hits. Freshman catcher Evan Pace's single to lead off the third inning was the only hit for the Sons of Pitches.
Green and southpaw
Drew Avans, both sophomores, combined to throw seven innings of 1-hit ball. Green earned the win, tossing five innings and fanning five. Avans worked the final two for the save. Graffeo was saddle with the loss despite allowing just the one run on four hits in five innings of work.
Inglorious BASEterds 1, Sons of Pitches 0 (Nov. 3, 2015 at Hammond, La.)
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Sons of Pitches.................. 000 000 0 - 0 1 1 (2-2)
Inglorious BASEterds....... 010 000 X - 1 4 1 (2-2)
----------------------------------------------------------------------Pitchers: Sons of Pitches – Graffeo, Carlo; Jordan, Evan (6) and Eades, Chris. Inglorious BASEterds – Green, Josh; Avans, Drew (6) and Roberson, Sam.
Win-Green, Josh (1-0) Save-Avans, Drew (1) Loss-Graffeo, Carlo (0-2)
HR – Bobo, Webb (Inglorious BASEterds)
GAME FIVE - Sons of Pitches 6, Inglorious BASEterds 4In the final game of the series, the Inglorious BASEterds built an early 4-0 lead, but the Sons of Pitches rallied off the bullpen for a 6-4 win.
Jumping out in front with three first-inning runs, the Inglorious BASEterds tagged Lion ace lefty Cedotal for 5-consecutive hits.
Service ripped a 1-out double and scored on an RBI single by Fisher. Roberson, Bobo and Cuccia all followed with singles. Roberson drove in the team's final run with an RBI single in the third.
Chipping away at the lead, the Sons of Pitches scored single runs in the fourth and fifth innings. They took the lead with three runs in the seventh.
Midyett added an insurance run with a solo home run in the eighth.
Pat Cashman (1-0) earned the win with five shutout innings of relief, fanning five.
Sons of Pitches 6, Inglorious BASEterds 4 (Nov. 4, 2015 at Hammond, La.)
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Inglorious BASEterds....... 301 000 000 - 4 10 4 (2-3)
Sons of Pitches.................. 000 113 10x - 6 6 2 (3-2)
----------------------------------------------------------------------Pitchers: Inglorious BASEterds – Carlini, Domenick; Granier, Kade (5); Robinson, Payton (6) and Roberson, Sam. Sons of Pitches – Cedotal, Kyle; Cashman, Pat (5) and Eades, Chris.
Win-Cashman, Pat (1-0) Loss-Granier, Kade (0-1)
HR – Midyett, Daniel (Sons of Pitches)
