HAMMOND, La. – Taylor Schwaner enjoyed a career night and Southeastern Louisiana hammered Stephen F. Austin pitching on the way to an 11-2 win in the opening game of a Southland Conference series at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.
 
Emergency starter Jake Norton kept the Southeastern (28-17, 15-7 Southland) bats at bay until the sixth, allowing just a first-inning double to Drew Avans, allowing SFA (14-27, 6-13 Southland) enough time to take a 2-1 lead in the fifth.
 
The Lumberjacks pulled Norton from the game after he loaded the bases. He hit Trey Harrington with a pitch and walked Cody Grosse to open up the inning. Nathan Pilutti sacrificed both runners into scoring position and then Norton issued an intentional walk to Avans, loading the bases.
 
Schwaner, who drove in the Lions' first run of the game with a sac fly in the first, greeted reliever Austin Hearn with a bases-clearing double into the left-field corner. Kyle Schimpf drove in Schwaner with a double to right.
 
Schimpf advanced to third on a fly out to right by Daniel Wasinger. After Bryce Steckler drew a walk, Brennan Breaud lined a single to left, driving in Schimpf.
 
Southeastern batted around in the inning, scoring five to take a 6-2 lead. The Lions would bat around again in the seventh, scoring five more.
 
With the bases loaded, Schwaner once again pulled a bases-clearing double into the left-field corner. He scored on Schimpf's towering home run to right. The blast was Schimpf's sixth of the season.
 
Josh Green (6-3) earned the win, allowing two runs – one earned – in seven innings of work. The senior from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, scattered five hits and two walks, striking out three. Will Warren worked a pair of scoreless frames to close out the game.
 
Norton (0-2) suffered the loss despite allowing just one hit in 5.1 innings. Stepping in for the injured Dru Dziedzic, Norton surrendered four runs while turning in his longest outing of the season. He walked four and struck out three.
 
Schwaner (2-for-3), a senior from Slidell, Louisiana, and Schimpf (2-for-4) led the Lions at the plate. Schwaner drove in seven, the most by a Lion since Jameson Fisher did the same against Houston Baptist on April 30, 2016. Schwaner almost had eight RBI, but the umpires ruled Pilutti left early on a sac fly in the eighth.
 
The second game of the series with SFA is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday. The Lions will celebrate National Superhero Day by offering a discounted ticket to all fans who show up at the ballpark dressed as their favorite superhero (superpowers not required).
 
Southeastern will send redshirt junior right-hander Carlisle Koestler (7-1, 2.31), who leads the Southland in wins, to the mound opposite SFA freshman righty Sean Beasley (2-3, 6.88).

The game can be heard in the Hammond area on KSLU 90.9 FM, and worldwide online or through either the Radio FX or TuneIn apps. Fans can also keep up with all the action through streaming video, live statistics or by following @SLUathletics on Twitter. Links to audio, video, stats, promotions and tickets are available on the baseball schedule page at www.LionSports.net.
 
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 with 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
For more information on Lions Baseball, follow @Lions_Baseball on Twitter, @SLU_LionsBaseball on Instagram, like /SLUathletics on Facebook and subscribe to the SLUathletics YouTube channel.