LAKE CHARLES, La. – Southeastern Louisiana opens a key Southland Conference series Friday at 6 p.m. against McNeese State at Joe Miller Ballpark. The game will be televised by Cox Sports Television, available in the Hammond area on Charter Cable (Channels 324 / 815 HD).
Outside of CST's territory, Friday's game will be available on ESPN3. It is accessible online at WatchESPN.com, on smartphones and tablets via the WatchESPN app, and also streamed on televisions through Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku, Xbox 360 and Xbox One.
The series continues Saturday at 3 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.
All three games against McNeese State (22-12, 12-6 Southland) can be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU 90.9 FM, online and through the TuneIn Radio app (search for KSLU). Fans can also keep up with the games through live statistics or by following SLUathletics on Twitter. Links for audio, video and stats can be found on the baseball schedule page at www.LionSports.net.
Southeastern (26-12, 13-2 Southland) fell, 11-4, Wednesday at LSU in an error-plagued, rain-filled game at Alex Box Stadium. The Lions, who wrapped up a five-game stretch against ranked opponents, have dropped five of their last six games.
Five everyday players are hitting .300 or better for the Lions, including
Jameson Fisher (.450),
Carson Crites (.320),
Drew Avans (.316),
Brennan Breaud (.306) and
Webb Bobo (.302). Fisher also leads the squad with nine home runs and 42 RBIs. Southeastern is hitting .286 as a team, with 58 doubles, 13 triples, 33 home runs and 68 stolen bases.
Fisher, the Lions' first baseman, is one of the top offensive threats in the nation, leading college baseball in on-base percentage (.581). The junior from Zachary, Louisiana, ranks second nationally in batting average, fifth in sacrifice flies (6) and seventh in slugging percentage (.750).
Southeastern's pitching staff enters the weekend series with a 2.52 ERA, the fifth-lowest in the nation, and has fanned 317 batters through 332.1 innings of work. Opponents are hitting .222 off Lion pitching.
Left-hander
Kyle Cedotal (4-4, 1.46) draws the starting assignment for the Lions in the opener. The senior from Denham Springs, Louisiana, is sixth nationally in WHIP (0.80). He will be opposed Friday by senior right-hander Kaleb Fontenot (4-3, 1.92) for the Cowboys.
Saturday the Lions will send sophomore right-hander
Mac Sceroler (6-2, 2.40) to the mound opposite McNeese freshman southpaw Bryan King (4-1, 3.06).
Senior lefty
Domenick Carlini (4-1, 1.76) draws the starting nod for Southeastern in Sunday's finale against Cowboy senior right-hander Ethan Stremmel (3-1, 4.42).
McNeese's pitching staff enters the weekend series with a 3.58 ERA, and has fanned 278 batters through 307 innings of work. Opponents are hitting .244 off Cowboy pitching.
Connor Crane (.346) and Lewis Guilbeau (.342) pace the McNeese offensive attack. Crane also leads the squad with 12 doubles, seven home runs, 28 RBIs and 14 steals. The Cowboys are hitting .277 as a team with 62 doubles, 10 triples, 19 home runs and 39 stolen bases.
McNeese State, which had a game against UL Lafayette washed out Wednesday, has won eight of its last nine games. Included in that stretch is a 2-hit shutout of then No. 9-ranked LSU and a series victory over Southland-rival Lamar.
Southeastern returns home next weekend, opening a four-game homestand at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field with a Southland Conference series against Houston Baptist.
Southeastern Louisiana Lions (26-12, 13-2 Southland) at McNeese State Cowboys (22-12, 12-6 Southland)
DATES / TIMES / PITCHING MATCHUP
Game 1: Friday, April 22 – 6 p.m. (CT)
SLU – Senior LHP
Kyle Cedotal (4-4, 1.46) vs.
MCN – Senior RHP Kaleb Fontenot (4-3, 1.92)
Game 2: Saturday, April 23 – 3 p.m. (CT)
SLU – Sophomore RHP
Mac Sceroler (6-2, 2.40) vs.
MCN – Freshman LHP Bryan King (4-1, 3.06)
Game 3: Sunday, April 24 – 1 p.m. (CT)
SLU – Senior LHP
Domenick Carlini (4-1, 1.76) vs.
MCN – Senior RHP Ethan Stremmel (3-1, 4.42)
STADIUM
Joe Miller Ballpark (Lake Charles, Louisiana)
TELEVISION
• Cox Sports TV
• ESPN3 (outside the CST viewing area)
• Friday only
RADIO
• KSLU, 90.9 FM
• Pregame show starts 15 minutes prior to first pitch
INTERNET / MOBILE DEVICE
• www.LionSports.net – live audio, stats and video
• TuneIn Radio app
