HAMMOND, La. – Southeastern Louisiana wraps up its Southland Conference slate this weekend, hosting Central Arkansas in a three-game series at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.
Games are scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday between the Lions (31-16, 17-10 Southland) and Central Arkansas (28-20, 15-9 Southland).
Southeastern enters the series third in the conference standings, three games behind first-place McNeese, one-half game back of second-place Sam Houston State and just one-half game in front of both the Bears and Houston Baptist.
All three games in the Southland 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 is available on LionVision, Southeastern's subscription-based video stream.
The series opens with Star Wars Night. Fans who attend Friday's game dressed up in their favorite Star Wars outfit will receive free admission to that evening's contest.
Saturday, Southeastern will host a baseball alumni reunion. A special recognition will be held for the 25th Anniversary of the 1992 team, which was the first Southeastern squad to reach an NCAA Division I regional.
All baseball alumni are welcome to attend without advance notice, but to help with planning please RSVP with
Larry Hymel at (985) 549-3228 or lhymel@southeastern.edu. Registration and lunch will begin at 11:30 a.m. in the parking garage attached to Strawberry Stadium.
Heavy traffic is expected on University Ave. because of Saturday's graduation ceremony, so attendees are encouraged to approach campus from the south to avoid delays.
The series wraps Sunday with a special Mother's Day ceremony. Fans are encouraged to participate in "Pink at the Park", wearing their pink to support breast cancer awareness.
Sunday will also feature a Cane's Challenge. If the Lions score four runs or more, fans can redeem their game ticket or student coupon to their local participating Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers by the end of business on Monday to receive a free combo with the purchase of another of equal or greater value.
Links for audio, video, stats, gameday promotions and tickets can be found on the baseball schedule page at
www.LionSports.net.
Friday at 6 p.m., the Lions will send junior right-hander
Mac Sceroler (8-1, 2.02) to the mound opposite Central Arkansas junior righty Tyler Gray (5-4, 3.59). Sceroler needs four strikeouts to become just the sixth pitcher in school history to record at least 100 strikeouts in a single season and the first since Wade Miley accomplished the feat in 2008.
Sophomore right-hander
Corey Gaconi (4-4, 2.74) gets the starting nod Saturday at 2 p.m. versus Bear sophomore righty Cody Davenport (4-2, 4.83).
Central Arkansas will send freshman right-hander Mark Moyer (5-2, 3.13) out in Sunday's 1 p.m. series finale against Lion sophomore righty
Carlisle Koestler (3-3, 4.47).
Last time out, Southeastern had its eight-game winning streak snapped by Sam Houston State.
Taylor Schwaner (.341),
Carson Crites (.304),
Drew Avans (.300),
Derrick Mount (.283) and
Ryan Byers (.270) lead Southeastern at the plate. Schwaner is the Southland leader with 13 home runs and ranks third nationally with 63 RBIs. Mount is fifth nationally with eight sacrifice flies. Avans ranks 10th nationally with 24 stolen bases.
The Lions are hitting .250 as a team, with 78 doubles, 18 triples and 43 home runs. Their 94 stolen bases rank eighth nationally. Southeastern's pitching staff enters the series with a 3.76 ERA, having fanned 343 batters through 419.1 innings of work. Opponents are hitting .242 off Lion pitching.
Central Arkansas scratched out 6-5 win Monday at Arkansas-Pine Bluff.
Hunter Strong (.392), Keaton Presley (.292) and Brooks Balisterri (.269) lead the Bears at the plate. Rigo Aguilar has cranked a team-best six home runs while Presley owns a team-high 44 RBIs and 18 stolen bases.
As a team, Central Arkansas is hitting .264 with 74 doubles, 20 triples, 21 home runs and 49 stolen bases. The Bears' pitching staff enters the series with a 4.88 ERA, having fanned 352 batters in 424 innings pitched. Opponents are hitting .273 off Central Arkansas' pitchers.
General Admission tickets for Lion 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 returns to the road Tuesday for the final time during the regular season, traveling to Biloxi, Mississippi, for a game against No. 19-ranked Southern Miss.
First pitch Tuesday is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at MGM Park, home of the Biloxi Shuckers (Double-A, Milwaukee Brewers). Tickets can be purchased by visiting
www.MGMParkBiloxi.com or calling (877) 344-2174.
Southeastern Louisiana Lions (31-16, 17-10 Southland) vs. Central Arkansas Bears (28-20, 15-9 Southland)
DATES / TIMES / PITCHING MATCHUPS
Friday, May 12 – 6 p.m. (CT)
UCA – Junior RHP Tyler Gray (5-4, 3.59) vs.
SLU – Junior RHP
Mac Sceroler (8-1, 2.02)
Saturday, May 13 – 2 p.m. (CT)
UCA – Sophomore RHP Cody Davenport (4-2, 4.83) vs.
SLU – Sophomore RHP
Corey Gaconi (4-4, 2.74)
Sunday, May 14 – 1 p.m. (CT)
UCA – Freshman RHP Mark Moyer (5-2, 3.13) vs.
SLU – Sophomore RHP
Carlisle Koestler (3-3, 4.47)
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
