NEW ORLEANS, La. – Winners of four straight, Southeastern Louisiana opens Southland Conference play this weekend against New Orleans in the Pontchartrain Bowl rivalry series.
 
Friday's 6:30 p.m. contest and Sunday's 1 p.m. series finale will be held at Maestri Field at First NBC Ballpark in New Orleans, while the Privateers visit Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field Saturday at 2 p.m.
 
The series opener between Southeastern (8-4) and UNO (9-4) will be televised live on Cox Sports Television (Charter 324 / 815 HD). Outside CST's coverage area only, the game is available on ESPN3, WatchESPN.com and the WatchESPN app. ESPN3 is also available on Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Sling TV, Chromecast and Roku.
 
All three games in the Pontchartrain Bowl 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 games through live statistics or by following SLUathletics on Twitter. Streaming video will be available for the final two games.
 
Links for audio, video, stats, tickets and game day promotions can be found on the baseball schedule page at www.LionSports.net.
 
Entering its third season, Southeastern's chapter of Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity sponsors the Pontchartrain Bowl rivalry series and trophy. The Lions won the inaugural series in 2015, sweeping all three games from New Orleans. Last season, UNO took 2-of-3 from Southeastern to claim the Pontchartrain Bowl.
 
The Lions are coming off a 4-2, extra-innings win Wednesday over West Virginia.
 
Drew Avans (.372), Taylor Schwaner (.333) and Derrick Mount (.297) lead Southeastern at the plate.  Schwaner, a junior from New Orleans, owns a team-best two home runs, 16 RBIs and six stolen bases. The Lions are hitting .244 as a team, with 19 doubles, four triples, seven home runs and 23 stolen bases.

Southeastern's pitching staff enters the weekend with a 4.33 ERA, having fanned 96 batters through 106 innings of work. Opponents are hitting .249 off Lion pitching.
 
Friday, the Lions will send junior right-hander Mac Sceroler (2-0, 3.00) to the mound opposite UNO junior righty Shawn Semple (2-0, 0.95) at Maestri Field.
 
Sophomore right-hander Corey Gaconi (1-0, 3.00) is slated to get the starting nod Saturday at 2 p.m. versus Privateer sophomore left-hander Bryan Warzek (2-0, 1.00) at The Pat.
 
Neither team has announced a starting pitcher for Sunday's 1 p.m. series finale in New Orleans.
 
Tristan Clarke (.471), Samuel Capielano (.386), John Cable (.370) and Owen Magee (.370) lead the Privateers at the plate. Clarke also owns a team-high five home runs and 20 RBIs. UNO is hitting .323 as a team, with 39 doubles, five triples, 16 home runs and seven stolen bases.
 
The Privateer pitching staff enters the weekend with a 3.66 ERA, having fanned 111 batters in 118 innings of work. Opponents are hitting .239 off UNO pitching.
 
UNO is coming off a 6-0 loss at home Wednesday in which it managed just three hits against Southern Miss.
 
General Admission tickets for Saturday's game at The Pat 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 returns to the road Tuesday, traveling to Mobile, Alabama, for a 6:30 p.m. contest at South Alabama.
 

Southeastern Louisiana Lions (8-4) vs. New Orleans Privateers (9-4)

DATES / TIMES / PITCHING MATCHUPS
Friday, March 10 – 6:30 p.m. (CT) in New Orleans
SLU – Junior RHP Mac Sceroler (2-0, 3.00) vs.
UNO – Junior RHP Shawn Semple (2-0, 0.95)
 
Saturday, March 11 – 2 p.m. (CT) in Hammond
UNO – Sophomore RHP Corey Gaconi (1-0, 3.00) vs.
SLU – Sophomore LHP Bryan Warzek (2-0, 1.00)
 
Sunday, March 12 – 1 p.m. (CT) in New Orleans
SLU – TBA (0-0, 0.00) vs.
UNO – TBA (0-0, 0.00)

STADIUM
Maestri Field at First NBC Ballpark (New Orleans, Louisiana)
Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field (Hammond, Louisiana)

TELEVISION
• Cox Sports TV (Friday only)
• ESPN3 (outside CST coverage area 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