HAMMOND, La. – Coming off a record-setting season, that included a Southland Conference regular-season title, Southeastern Louisiana opens its third season season under head coach Matt Riser with a 3-game series against UL Monroe, Friday through Sunday, at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.

All general admission tickets for Friday's 6 p.m. season opener are $5. Saturday's game, which includes baseball-themed bingo, is slated for 2 p.m. against ULM (25-29 in 2015).

Sunday's 1 p.m. series finale is Family Day. Roomie's Kid Zone will be open down the left-field line featuring a bounce house and other family-friendly activities. Kid's are welcome to join the Lions on the field for the national anthem Sunday and to run the bases after the game.

Students and campus organizations can also earn points toward their new Lion Up Loyalty account at any any of the three games just by checking-in on the mobile app while in attendance.

Friday and Saturday's games can be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU 90.9 FM, online and through TuneIn Radio app. Fans can keep up with the series through live statistics or by following SLUathletics on Twitter. Streaming video is available on LionVision, Southeastern's subscription-based video stream. Links for audio, video, stats and tickets are available on the baseball schedule page at www.LionSports.net.

Southeastern posted a school-record 42-17 overall record last season, 25-5 in Southland play (conference record), and return 20 letterwinners from its championship squad.

"It's all about expectations," Riser said. "Two years ago we set a goal to win the Southland tournament and we did. We looked at that ring and it said tournament champions. We wanted to change that to Southland champions and we did that last year in record-setting fashion. This year the main goal is to win multiple championships, doing something bigger and better every single year."

Reigning Southland Conference Player of the Year Jacob Seward is one of six preseason All-Southland players for a veteran Southeastern roster. The roster will also be bolstered by the return of top hitters Jameson Fisher and Sam Roberson – both missed the 2015 season with injuries.

A redshirt junior from Zachary, Louisiana, Fisher led the conference with a .389 batting average (15th nationally) and a .481 on-base percentage (16th nationally) in 2014 as sophomore. His 93 base hits were 12th nationally, helping him earn preseason All-America honors despite the injury.

Seward led the Lions in batting average (.350), on-base percentage (.442), hits (76) and stolen bases (19). The junior from New Orleans, Louisiana, also broke the school record with a 24-game hitting streak. His 47 runs scored ranked second in the conference.

Joining Fisher and Seward on the preseason All-Southland squad were catcher Chris Eades, designated hitter Daniel Midyett, outfielder Ryan Byers and preseason (National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association) All-American pitcher Kyle Cedotal.

Eades started 49 of Southeastern's 59 games last season and in those contests the Lion pitching staff compiled a 2.78 ERA. A senior from Slidell, Louisiana, Eades hit .262 with four home runs and 25 RBIs. He tied for the second-most home runs on the team.

Midyett led the Southland with 46 RBIs. A senior from Shreveport, Louisiana, he hit .306 with a team-high eight home runs, 30 walks and five sacrifice flies. A switch hitter, Midyett turned in six 3-hit performances during the 2015 season.

Byers ranked second in the conference with 44 RBIs. The junior from Ponchatoula, Louisiana, hit .290 and tied Eades with four home runs. He also stole 15 bases in 17 attempts.

The Lions hit a conference-best .299 as a team last season with 28 home runs and swiped a Southland-leading 91 bases. Southeastern's pitching staff compiled a 3.18 ERA (28th nationally), 12 saves and fanned 478 batters in 524 innings of work.

Cedotal draws the opening-night nod for the Lions. The senior left-hander from Denham Springs, Louisiana, posted a 9-2 record and 2.08 ERA in 15 appearances, all starts, last season. Cedotal struck out 95 batters while holding opponents to a .219 batting average in 99.2 innings pitched. He draws junior righty Brayden Bouchey (4-3, 4.446) for the Warhawks.

Saturday the Lions will send sophomore right-hander Mac Sceroler (3-2, 2.45), also a Denham Springs native, to the mound against ULM righty Josh Leone (1-4, 4.08). Senior southpaw Domenick Carlini (1-0, 6.38) draws the starting nod for Southeastern in Sunday's series finale against Warhawk right-hander Brandon Bell (4-5, 3.95).

Outfielder Nathan Pugh (.294, 6 home runs, 33 RBIs), first baseman Danny Springer (.271, 9 HR, 34 RBIs) and catcher Dalton Todd (.262, 0 HR, 6 RBIs) are ULM's top returning hitters.

The Warhawks hit .271 as a team last season with 33 home runs and swiped 55 bases. ULM's pitching staff compiled a 4.14 ERA, 10 saves and fanned 313 batters in 471.2 innings of work.

ULM leads the all-time series between the former Southland foes, 29-21. The Warhawks took 2-of-3 from the Lions in Monroe during the 2014 season. Last season Southeastern defeated ULM, 7-6, at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.

Southeastern continues its season-opening, 8-game homestand Wednesday at 6 p.m. against Alcorn State.

The Lions' Southland action commences March 11 at home against UIW. The Southland Conference Tournament, featuring the league's top eight teams, will be played May 25-28 once again at Constellation Field in Sugar Land, Texas.

Baseball season tickets, as well as individual game tickets for the season-opening, 8-game homestand, are currently on sale. Season ticket options include box seats ($275), reserved seats ($125) and general admission ($100). A family plan that includes two adult and two youth (ages 3-12) general admission tickets is also available for $200. Southeastern students will be admitted free to home games with a valid university ID card.

Fans have until the Lions' season opener to purchase season ticket packages and can do so by contacting the athletics ticket office at (985) 549-5466 or 1-866-LION-TIX. Ticket office hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on Fridays.

The box office at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field opens one hour prior to the scheduled first pitch.


Southeastern Louisiana Lions (42-17, 25-5 Southland) vs. UL Monroe Warhawks (25-29, 12-18 Sun Belt)

DATES / TIMES / PITCHING MATCHUP (2015 stats)
Game 1: Friday, Feb. 19 – 6 p.m. (CT)
ULM – Junior RHP Brayden Bouchey (4-3, 4.46) vs.
SLU – Senior LHP Kyle Cedotal (9-2, 2.08)

Game 2: Saturday, Feb. 20 – 2 p.m. (CT)
ULM – Junior RHP Josh Leone (1-4, 4.08) vs.
SLU – Sophomore RHP Mac Sceroler (3-2, 2.45)

Game 3: Sunday, Feb. 21 – 1 p.m. (CT)
ULM – Senior RHP Brandon Bell (4-5, 3.95) vs.
SLU – Senior LHP Domenick Carlini (1-0, 6.38)

STADIUM
Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field (Hammond, Louisiana)

RADIO
• KSLU, 90.9 FM (Friday and Saturday only)
• Pregame show starts 15 minutes prior to first pitch

INTERNET / MOBILE DEVICE
• www.LionSports.net – live audio, stats and video
• TuneIn Radio app