HAMMOND, La. – Carlisle Koestler struck out a career-high 11 batters Wednesday as Southeastern Louisiana defeated No. 20-ranked UL Lafayette 5-2 at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.
 
A redshirt junior from Vicksburg, Mississippi, Koestler (1-0) also worked a career-high 8.1 innings, limiting the Ragin' Cajuns (1-3) to three hits and one walk.
 
Down 1-0 in the first, Southeastern (4-1) answered with a run of its own.
 
Cody Grosse, a junior from Plainfield, Illinois, knocked a one-out single up the middle and then stole second base. He scored on a two-out double inside the first-base bag by Kyle Schimpf.
 
UL Lafayette regained the lead in the fourth.
 
Koestler issued his only walk of the game to Hayden Cantrelle, whose solo home run in the first provided the Ragin' Cajuns' first run, leading off the inning. Cantrelle later scored on a two-out double down the left-field line by designated hitter O'Neal Lochridge.
 
Southeastern answered in the bottom half of the inning, tying the game once again.
 
Right fielder Mike Taylor singled through the left side with one out, advanced to second on Taylor Schwaner's single to right-center and scored on Bryce Steckler's single through the left side.
 
Koestler continued mowing down hitters, fanning the side twice in the game.
 
The Lions picked up their first lead in the sixth.
 
Schwaner was hit by a pitch leading off the inning by reliever Austin Perrin (0-1) and was sacrificed to second by Steckler. Schwaner scored on a two-run homer off the bat of catcher Daniel Wasinger. It was the second home run of Wasinger's Lion career.
 
Southeastern tacked on an insurance run in the eighth to complete the scoring.
 
Koestler earned the win in his first start of the season. Perrin picked up the loss, allowing a pair of runs on two hits in two innings of work.
 
Senior right-hander Evan Hileman picked up the final two outs to finish off the Ragin' Cajuns.
 
Grosse (2-for-4) led the Lions at the plate, while Wasinger drove in three of Southeastern's five runs. Grosse, Schwaner and Steckler each stole a base for the Lions, who entered the game leading the nation with 22 steals.
 
Southeastern continues its season-opening, nine-game homestand Friday at 6 p.m. against UConn.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans are encouraged to follow @Lions_Baseball on Twitter, @SLU_LionsBaseball on Instagram, like /SLUathletics on Facebook and subscribe to the SLUathletics YouTube channel to keep up with the latest on Southeastern baseball.