HAMMOND, La. – Third baseman
Taylor Schwaner continued to swing a hot bat Saturday as Southeastern Louisiana reclaimed the Pontchartrain Bowl trophy with an 8-3 Southland Conference win over New Orleans at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.
A junior from New Orleans, Louisiana, Schwaner smashed a pair of three-run home runs to help extend Southeastern's win streak to six consecutive games. Combined with his homer in the series opener and Wednesday's game-winning blast in extra innings, he has now homered in three consecutive games.
With the win, the Lions improve to 10-4 (2-0 Southland) in 2017, picking up victories in the first two games of this season's installment of the rivalry series with UNO (9-6, 0-2 Southland).
Saturday's game started out much the same way as the series opener, with the teams locked into a pitcher's duel. Scoreless entering the fifth inning, the Privateers struck first.
First baseman Dakota Phillips dumped a one-out single into right-center field and advanced to second base on a single up the middle by Samuel Capielano.
With two outs, Dakota Dean yanked a single to right field, driving in Phillips to give UNO a 1-0 lead and snap a string of 22.2-straight scoreless innings by the Privateers. The run also snapped a 12-inning scoreless streak by Lion starting pitcher
Corey Gaconi, the reigning Louisiana Pitcher of the Week.
Southeastern, as they would do twice in the game, responded immediately.
Catcher
Evan Pace, a sophomore from Zachary, Louisiana, reached on an error by the shortstop and then stole second. Following a two-out walk to left fielder
Drew Avans, Schwaner cranked the first of his two home runs in the game.
UNO tied the game up, 3-3, with a pair of runs in the seventh.
After a two-out single by Capielano and a walk to shortstop Aaron Palmer, the Lions went to the bullpen for sophomore
Carlisle Koestler (1-1). Dean greeted the right-hander with a double to left, driving in the pair of inherited runners to tie the game.
Once again, Southeastern answered right away.
In the bottom of the seventh, Pace knocked a one-out double to left-center. He scored one batter later on
Jacob Seward's RBI single to right, giving the Lions the lead. Seward took second on the throw home.
As Avans walked for the second time in the game, Seward advanced to third on a wild pitch. Moments later Avans swiped second for his sixth stolen base of the season.
Schwaner then cleaned up the bases with a monstrous shot to left-center, staking Southeastern to a 7-3 lead.
The Lions added their final run in the eighth.
Koestler earned his first win at Southeastern, working 2.1 scoreless innings in relief of Gaconi. Reliever Matt Gillis (0-1) suffered the loss, allowing one run in one inning of work.
Schwaner led the Lions at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a pair of home runs and six RBIs.
The series now returns to Maestri Field on the New Orleans lakefront. Neither team has announced a starting pitcher for Sunday's 2 p.m. series finale.
The game can be heard in the Hammond, Louisiana, area on KSLU 90.9 FM, online and through the TuneIn Radio app (search for KSLU). Fans can also keep up with the series finale 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 8, New Orleans 3 (Mar 11, 2017 at Hammond, La.)
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New Orleans.......... 000 010 200 - 3 8 1 (9-6, 0-2)
Southeastern......... 000 030 41X - 8 8 2 (10-4, 2-0)
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Pitchers: New Orleans - Warzek, Bryan; Gillis, Matt (6); Taylor, Jarred (7); Griffin, William (8) and Cable, John. Southeastern - Gaconi, Corey; Koestler, Carlisle (7) and Pace, Evan; Wasinger, Daniel.
Win-Koestler, Carlisle (1-1) Loss-Gillis, Matt (0-1) T-2:35 A-1205
HR SLU - Schwaner, Taylor 2 (5).
Weather: Rain 70, SE 8 mph
