HAMMOND, La. – With four come-from-behind wins this week, the Southeastern Louisiana baseball team is teaching fans, and opponents, to never count them out. On the heels of Wednesday's double-rally victory at Tulane, the Lions turned the trick again Friday on another team from the Crescent City, defeating New Orleans 7-6 in 10 innings at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.
 
This time Southeastern (10-5, 1-0 Southland) was down to its final out, rallying to force extra innings against the Privateers (6-8, 0-1 Southland) in the Southland Conference opener for both teams.
 
With two outs, the bases empty and the Lions down 6-5, center fielder Bryce Steckler scorched a sinking liner to right field. UNO's Pearce Howard stretched out to make a game-ending catch, but the ball got by him for a double.
 
On the next pitch, Steckler stole third and then came home to tie the game on an errant throw by the catcher.
 
Reliever Peyton Lee (1-0) was in lock-down mode. Having fanned the side in the ninth, he retired the side in order again in the 10th.
 
Leading off the bottom half of the 10th, shortstop Brennan Breaud pulled a hard grounder to second base. UNO's Collin Morrill bobbled the ball just long enough for Breaud to beat the throw to first. While retiring the next two batters, Privateer reliever John Barr (1-2) snapped off a breaking ball for a wild pitch that allowed Breaud to advance into scoring position.
 
UNO wanted to pitch carefully to left fielder Drew Avans, who was enjoying a 3-for-4 night at the plate, but catcher Beau Bratton allowed on outside pitch kick off his glove for a passed ball and Breaud advanced to third. Avans drew a walk. On the next pitch, he took second without a throw.
 
The at-bat of the night may well have been a walk issued to pinch hitter Trey Morgan. Working a 2-2 count full, the sophomore from St. Francisville, Louisiana, fouled off four consecutive pitches before drawing the free pass to load the bases.
 
With Kyle Schimpf down in the count, 0-2, Barr uncorked another wild pitch and Breaud scored easily from third with the winning run.
 
The walk-off capped the Lions' second rally of the game.
 
Southeastern fell behind the Privateers in the third, 4-1, but responded immediately after UNO batted around in the top of the inning. Breaud was hit by a two-out pitch and stole second. He came around to score on the first of two Cody Grosse RBI singles.
 
Grosse's second run-scoring hit and Avans' two-run triple into the right-center field gap highlighted a three-run rally in the fifth, putting Southeastern back on top, 5-4.
 
The lead was short-lived. The Privateers scored a pair of unearned runs in the sixth to take the 6-5 lead they held into the ninth.
 
Lee earned the win, his first as a Lion, tossing 3.2 scoreless innings in relief. He scattered three hits and did not walk a batter, fanning six. The junior from Picayune, Mississippi, retired the final eight batters he faced.
 
Jace Nini and Payton Robinson combined to bridge the gap between Lee and starter Josh Green.
 
Barr suffered the loss, allowing a pair of unearned runs in 4.2 innings. He gave up three hits and two walks, striking out eight.
 
Avans (3-for-4), Grosse (2-for-5) and Steckler (2-for-4) led the Lions at the plate. Avans and Grosse both drove in a pair. Breaud and Steckler each scored twice.
 
The second game of the Pontchartrain Bowl series is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.
 
With the Southeastern men's basketball team advancing to the championship game of the Southland Conference Tournament, there will be no local radio coverage of the baseball game. Fans can keep up with all the action through streaming video, live statistics or by following @SLUathletics on Twitter.
   
Links for video, stats, gameday promotions and tickets are available on the baseball schedule page at www.LionSports.net.
 
Junior right-hander Carlisle Koestler (2-0, 1.59) gets the starting nod Saturday at 6 p.m. versus UNO sophomore righty Reeves Martin (0-1, 3.60).
 
TICKETS
Single game tickets for Lion home games can be purchased online at www.LionSports.net/Tickets or by contacting the Southeastern Athletics Ticket Office at (985) 549-5466. 
 
General Admission tickets 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.
 
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.