HAMMOND, La. – Southeastern Louisiana broke out of its offensive doldrums, sweeping a doubleheader, 10-3 and 9-2, against Nicholls on Super Lion Saturday at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.
 
The Lions (27-17, 14-7 Southland) started slowly, building toward a thrashing of Nicholls (16-25, 7-11 Southland) pitching. Southeastern sent 39 batters to the plate, scoring 14 runs, in a three-inning stretch that spanned the closing innings of the opening game and the opening inning of the nightcap.
 
A seven-run first in the finale marked the most runs the Lions have scored this season in a single inning, equaling the team's output in the fifth inning of a 13-12 win at Tulane last month (March 7).
 
Nine different players picked up hits for Southeastern and the Lions pounded out double-digit hits in back-to-back games for the first time since a three-game stretch, March 14-17, against Mississippi State and Lamar.
 
Southeastern returns to action at 6 p.m. Friday, hosting Stephen F. Austin in the opening game of a Southland Conference series at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.
 
GAME ONE – Southeastern 10, Nicholls 3
A bloop single by Drew Avans put Southeastern out in front, 1-0, in the third, but a two-run home run in the fourth by Colonel left fielder Lee Clark erased the lead.
 
The Lions went up for good in the fifth.
 
Evan Pace, a junior from Zachary, Louisiana, drew a walk to open up the frame, advancing to third on back-to-back, one-out singles by Nathan Pilutti and Drew Avans. An errant pickoff throw by Colonel starting pitcher Cayden Hatcher allowed Pace to score the tying run.
 
Hatcher was pulled from the game after hitting Taylor Schwaner with a pitch for the second time in the game, loading the bases once again. With two outs, reliever Zach Autin hit Kyle Schimpf with a pitch to force in the go-ahead run.
 
Schimpf's HBP was the first of what would be three in the game for the junior from Covington, Louisiana, joining Josh Cryer (twice), Jameson Fisher and Andrew Godbold as the only players to accomplish the feat in program history.
 
Southeastern expanded its lead in the seventh, manufacturing four runs on a single hit.
 
With one out, Schwaner reached on a fielding error by the Colonels' first baseman. After Daniel Wasinger drew a walk, both he and Schwaner executed a double steal to put a pair of runners in scoring position. Schimpf was hit by a pitch again, loading the bases, and Bryce Steckler was hit by a pitch to force in the eventual winning run.
 
Brennan Breaud greeted reliever Parker White with an infield single back through the wickets, plating Wasinger. Pace drew a bases-loaded walk, forcing in Schimpf, and Cody Grosse lofted a sacrifice fly to center to bring home Steckler for a 7-2 lead.
 
Nicholls pulled a run closer in the seventh, but the Lions would not let up.
 
Drew Avans led off the eighth with a solo homer to left. The opposite-field blast was his team-leading eighth of the season. Schwaner followed with a single to center and Wasinger drew his third free pass of the game to chase White from the contest.
 
In his only two batters, reliever Jared Scott hit Schimpf for the record-tying third time and served up a two-run double to Steckler.
 
Carlisle Koestler (7-1) earned the win, allowing two runs in five innings of work. He scattered five hits and one walk, striking out four. Trey Shaffer allowed one run in 2.1 innings and Bryce Tassin closed it out with 1.2 scoreless innings, earning his team-leading fifth save of the season.
 
Avans (3-for-5), Breaud (2-for-4) and Schimpf (2-for-2) each enjoyed multi-hit games. Steckler drove in three, pacing the offense.
 
GAME TWO – Southeastern 9, Nicholls 2
Despite a 45 minute break between games, the Lions kept the pressure on by scoring seven runs in the first.
 
The first six batters reached safely and Grosse delivered the knock-out punch, a two-run double, for his second hit of the inning.
 
Each team picked up a run in the second and then the pitchers took over. Neither team scored again until the eighth, with each picking up their final run.
 
Corey Gaconi (3-1) earned the win, scattering six hits in seven innings. He allowed one unearned run, striking out six batters. Peyton Lee worked the final two innings for the Lions, allowing one run and fanning a pair.
 
Nicholls starting pitcher Jacob Bedevian (1-6) suffered the loss, lasting just one inning and coughing up eight runs.
 
Grosse (4-for-4) and Avans (2-for-3) turned in multi-hit performances to lead the Lions at the plate.
 
TICKETS
Single game tickets for Lion home games can be purchased online at www.LionSports.net/Tickets or by contacting the 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 when presenting a valid university ID card.

Students, campus organizations and fans can earn points toward their Lion Up Loyalty account at any home game by checking in on the mobile app while in attendance.
 
DIAMOND CLUB / S CLUB
Fans interested in becoming active supporters of the baseball program are encouraged to join the Diamond Club. Lion baseball alums are encouraged to join the exclusive S Club, which is restricted to Southeastern athletic letter winners. S Club members also gain membership in the Diamond Club.
 
All membership fees and donations to both the Diamond Club and S Club (baseball) are available for the exclusive use of the Southeastern baseball program. Membership information is available by contacting the Lion Athletics Association at laa@southeastern.edu or (985) 549-5091.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
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