HAMMOND, La. – Popcorn at the Pat and Super Lion Saturday highlight Southeastern Louisiana's weekend Southland Conference series with McNeese at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.
 
The original schedule for the three-game series has been altered because of weather concerns. Friday's game remains at 6 p.m., but the teams will now play a doubleheader Saturday at 4 p.m. to wrap up the series.
 
Southeastern (16-9, 5-4) snapped a five-game skid Wednesday with a 15-3 drubbing of No. 18-ranked UL Lafayette. The Lions also completed a suspended game with the Ragin' Cajuns earlier in the day with a 5-4 win in 14 innings.
 
McNeese (18-7, 9-0 Southland) dropped a 3-1 decision at home Tuesday against UL Lafayette, but the Cowboys ride into the weekend series leading the Southland by four games over both Southeastern and Nicholls.
 
All three games in the conference series can be heard in the Hammond, Louisiana, area on KSLU 90.9 FM, and worldwide online or through the TuneIn Radio app (search for KSLU). Fans can keep up with the game through live statistics or by following @SLUathletics on Twitter.
 
Streaming video of the series will be available on LionVision, Southeastern's subscription-based video stream.
 
Friday's game is Popcorn at The Pat. Fans are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs to watch the movie Space Jam on the video board following the game. Free popcorn will be provided to fans watching the movie, while supplies last.
 
Saturday is the annual celebration of all things related to Southeastern athletics, Super Lion Saturday.
 
Only doubleheader tickets will be sold for Saturday's games, allowing admission to both games with the purchase of one ticket, and the ballpark will not be cleared between games. Doubleheader ticket prices are $13 for adults and $9 for children (ages 3-12). Tax is included in the price of admission. Southeastern students are admitted free with a valid university ID card.
 
Season ticket holders, and fans that have already purchased tickets for the weekend series, may use either their Saturday or Sunday ticket for admission to the doubleheader.
 
Links for audio, video, stats, tickets and game day promotions can be found on the baseball schedule page at www.LionSports.net.
 
Taylor Schwaner (.396), Drew Avans (.319), Carson Crites (.272) and Derrick Mount (.271) lead Southeastern at the plate. Schwaner owns a team-best seven home runs. His Southland Conference-leading 35 RBIs rank fifth nationally. Mount is fourth in the nation with five sacrifice flies. Avans has a team-high 10 stolen bases.
 
The Lions are hitting .244 as a team, with 34 doubles, 11 triples, 21 home runs and rank sixth nationally with 50 stolen bases. Southeastern's pitching staff enters the series with a 4.05 ERA, having fanned 191 batters through 224.1 innings of work. Opponents are hitting .249 off Lion pitching.

Friday at 6 p.m., the Lions will send junior right-hander Mac Sceroler (4-0, 3.44) to the mound opposite McNeese senior left-hander Austin Sanders (2-1, 3.15).

Sophomore right-hander Corey Gaconi (2-1, 2.95) gets the starting nod in the first game of Saturday's 4 p.m. doubleheader versus Cowboy sophomore righty Rhett Deaton (3-0, 1.98). McNeese is slated to start sophomore southpaw Bryan King (3-1, 5.48) in the nightcap against Lion sophomore righty Carlisle Koestler (1-2, 4.81).
 
The Cowboys are the 10th-best hitting team in the nation, swinging at a .322 clip, and rank seventh nationally with 65 doubles. They also have hit eight triples and 24 home runs to go along with 34 stolen bases. McNeese pitchers have compiled a 4.17 ERA, fanning 194 batters in 218 innings pitched. Opponents are hitting .265 off Cowboy pitching
 
Shane Selman (.380), Matt Gallier (.378), Joe Provenzano (.368) and Ricky Ramirez (.362) lead McNeese at the plate. Gallier leads the team with seven home runs and is tied with Nate Fisbeck for the team lead in RBIs (25). Robbie Podorsky ranks third nationally with 32 runs scored and seventh in stolen bases (14).
 
General Admission tickets for single home games are $9 for adults and $6 for children (ages 3-12). Tax is included in the price of admission. Southeastern students are admitted free with a valid university ID card.

Students and campus organizations can earn points toward their Lion Up Loyalty account at any home game by checking in on the mobile app while in attendance.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.LionSports.net/Tickets or 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 wraps up its current homestand with a Cane's Challenge game Tuesday at 6 p.m. against South Alabama.
 
 
SUPER LION SATURDAY
The day's festivities open with the 5th Annual Lion Athletics Association Green and Gold 5K and Fun Run. The one-mile fun run begins at 8 a.m. with the 5K following at 8:30 a.m. in Friendship Circle. The course runs through campus and concludes in the south end zone of Strawberry Stadium.
 
Race participants will receive a free Super Lion Saturday t-shirt. Shirts are only guaranteed for those who register by the early registration deadline. Food, music, fruit, drinks and beer will be provided for the participants following the race on the Strawberry Stadium field. Awards will be given to the overall male and female winners and the top two male and female runners in each age bracket (14 and under, 15-22, 23-30, 31-39, 40-50, 51 and up) of the 5K run.
 
Entry fees for the race are $25.00 (late registration – deadline March 31) and $30.00 (registration on day of the race). Special rates are available for Southeastern students ($10.00), children ages 12 and under ($10.00), Southeastern student organizations ($100.00 – unlimited participants) and corporate sponsors ($250.00 – 10 participants).
 
Registration forms will be available online at www.LionSports.net, as well as Perfectly Fit Performance Sports (303 W. Minnesota Park, Suite E, Hammond, LA 70403) and the Dugas Center for Southeastern Athletics (800 Galloway Drive, Hammond, LA 70402). For more information on the Green and Gold 5K and Fun Run contact Assistant Athletic Director for Marketing and Development Tom Dawsey at (985) 549-5226 or tdawsey@southeastern.edu.
 
At 11 a.m., the Southeastern Louisiana football team will host a free youth camp at Strawberry Stadium. The camp will be held from 11 a.m. – noon and is open to children in grades 2-8. Registration is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. and admission to the camp is free. For more information or to pre-register, participants can visit www.ronrobertsfootballcamps.com.
 
Two Southeastern teams will be in action on campus at 12 p.m. The softball team (14-18, 3-6 Southland) hosts Lamar at North Oak Park, while the women's tennis team (3-9, 0-6 Southland) welcomes Incarnate Word to the Southeastern Tennis Complex.
 
The Southeastern football team will also close out spring practice on Super Lion Saturday. The Lions will compete in the annual Spring Game at 2 p.m. in Strawberry Stadium.
 
Former Lion and current Atlanta Falcon cornerback Robert Alford will host a Meet and Greet for Southeastern fans as part of Super Lion Saturday. The event is scheduled from 4-6 p.m. in the Victory Club in Strawberry Stadium. Tickets are $50 for adults and $25 for children ages 12 and under. Tickets can be purchased by contacting Dawsey at (985) 549-5226.
 
The exclusive event is open to all on a first-come, first-serve basis and only 50 tickets are available. All proceeds benefit the Touchdown Club, the fundraising arm of the Southeastern football program.
 
The event, which includes a buffet dinner and drinks, will open with photo opportunities for attendees with Alford from 4-4:30 p.m. A buffet dinner will be served at 4:30 p.m. with Alford addressing the crowd at 5:15 p.m.
 
Alford, who prepped at Hammond High School, starred for the Lions from 2009-12 before the Atlanta Falcons took him with the 60th overall pick in the second round of the NFL Draft. During his four-year career, Alford has established himself as one of the league's top cover corners.
 
Closing out the jam-packed day's action will be the baseball doubleheader between Southeastern and McNeese at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.
 
SATURDAY SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
8 a.m.              LAA, Green and Gold 5K and Fun Run, Strawberry Stadium
11 a.m.             Football, Free Youth Camp, Strawberry Stadium
12 p.m.            Softball, vs. Lamar, North Oak Park (LionVision)
                       Women's Tennis, vs. UIW, Southeastern Tennis Complex
2 p.m.              Football, Spring Game, Strawberry Stadium
4 p.m.              LAA/Football, Robert Alford Meet and Greet, Victory Club
                       Baseball, DH vs. McNeese, Alumni Field (KSLU) (LionVision)
 

Southeastern Louisiana Lions (16-9, 5-4 Southland) vs. McNeese Cowboys (18-7, 9-0 Southland)

DATES / TIMES / PITCHING MATCHUP
Friday, March 31 – 6 p.m. (CT)
MCN – Senior LHP Austin Sanders (2-1, 3.15) vs.
SLU – Junior RHP Mac Sceroler (4-0, 3.44)
 
Saturday, April 1 – 4 p.m. (CT)
MCN – Sophomore RHP Rhett Deaton (3-0, 1.98) vs.
SLU – Sophomore RHP Corey Gaconi (2-1, 2.95)
 
Saturday, April 1 – DH
MCN – Sophomore LHP Bryan King (3-1, 5.48) vs.
SLU – Sophomore RHP Carlisle Koestler (1-2, 4.81)

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

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