SUGAR LAND, Texas – No. 2-seeded Southeastern Louisiana faces No. 7-seeded Nicholls at 12 p.m. Wednesday in the opening round of the 2018 Southland Conference Baseball Tournament at Constellation Field.
 
Earlier this season, Southeastern (36-20, 21-9 Southland) took 2-of-3 games against the Colonels (26-30, 14-16 Southland) in a series that was played entirely in Hammond, Louisiana.
 
All of the Lions games in the tournament 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 the new ESPN+ streaming video service, live statistics or by following @SLUathletics on Twitter. Links to audio, video and stats are available on the baseball schedule page at www.LionSports.net.
 
Drew Avans (.337) and Cody Grosse (.316), both All-Southland Conference selections, pace Southeastern's offensive attack. Avans ranks second in the conference with 10 home runs and Kyle Schimpf leads the team with 45 RBI. The Lions have four of the conference's top-seven base stealers in Avans (20), Grosse (19), Evan Pace (16) and Brennan Breaud (15).
 
The Lions are hitting .255 collectively, with 82 doubles, 15 triples and 39 home runs. Their 129 stolen bases rank third nationally and are a program single-season record. Southeastern's pitching staff has compiled a 3.64 ERA and 432 strikeouts through 502.1 innings of work, issuing the third-fewest walks per nine (2.45) in the nation. Opponents are hitting .250 off Lion pitching.
 
All-Southland right-hander Corey Gaconi (6-1, 3.47), a junior from Metairie, Louisiana, opposes Colonel senior left-hander Alex Ernestine (5-5, 5.56) on the mound.

Joey Morales (.346), Chet Niehaus (.333) and Brady Bell (.313) are Nicholls' leading hitters. Niehaus has hit seven home runs and swiped nine bags. Both numbers lead the squad. Lee Clark has driven in a team-high 49 runs.
 
Nicholls is hitting .278 as a team, with 102 doubles, 17 triples, 26 home runs and 40 stolen bases. Colonel pitchers have combined for a 5.03 ERA and 289 strikeouts in 495.2 innings of work. Opponents are hitting .294 off Nicholls pitching.
 
Beginning with the regular-season series against Nicholls, the Lions have won 11 of their last 14 games. The Colonels swept their final three-game series of the year against Central Arkansas, advancing to the tournament for the first time since the 2015 season.
 
The winner advances to play the winner of the McNeese / Northwestern State matchup Thursday at 4 p.m. The Nicholls / Southeastern loser faces a 9 a.m. elimination matchup Thursday with the loser of the McNeese / Northwestern State contest.
 
Part of an all Louisiana bracket, No. 3-seeded Northwestern State (33-22, 18-12 SLC) and No. 6-seeded McNeese (24-31, 15-15 SLC) share the same side as Southeastern and Nicholls.
 
The other side of the bracket features No. 1-seeded Sam Houston State (38-18, 24-6 SLC), No. 4-seeded Houston Baptist (26-28, 18-12 SLC), No. 5-seeded Central Arkansas (32-23, 17-13 SLC) and No. 8-seeded New Orleans (26-30, 14-16 SLC).
 
Southeastern, Nicholls and Central Arkansas are the only teams in the tournament that faced off against the entire field during the regular season. The Lions (13-8), Sam Houston State (10-5) and Northwestern State (10-8) are the only teams with a winning record against this season's tournament field.
 
All five Louisiana schools made the tournament field this season, marking the first time every Southland team from the Pelican State will participate since 2010.
 
Tickets for the 2018 Southland Conference Baseball Tournament are on sale now at www.southland.org/baseball. They are also available by phone at 281-240-4487, and at the TDECU Ticket Office at Constellation Field.
 
The double-elimination tournament, scheduled for May 23-26 in Sugar Land, Texas, will feature the league's top eight teams and conclude with a winner-take-all championship game May 26 at 6 p.m. CT. The winner of the tournament will receive the Southland's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. All games will broadcast on ESPN+.
 
DIAMOND CLUB / S CLUB
Fans interested in becoming active supporters of the Southeastern 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.
 
STREAMING VIDEO
Every game of the 2018 Southland Conference Baseball Tournament is scheduled for live coverage on ESPN+, marking the league's first postseason event on the new streaming service.

Viewers can take advantage of a seven-day free trial during the tournament. Once expired, subscription fees are $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year. ESPN+ is available through ESPN.com and the redesigned ESPN app.

ESPN+ is the first multi-sport, direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service from The Walt Disney Company Direct-to-Consumer and International group in partnership with ESPN. It offers fans thousands of additional live events, on-demand content and original programming not available on ESPN's linear TV or digital networks.
 
TICKET PRICES
All-Session: $60 for adults; $40 for youth ages 6-17
Single-Day: $20 for adults; $12 for youth ages 6-17; ages five and younger are free
Student: Free (with valid ID) for students attending Southland Conference institutions (all schools, even those not competing)
 
TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
All Times Central
 
Tuesday, May 22, 2018
6:30 PM – Home Run Derby
 
Wednesday, May 23, 2018
9:00 AM - Game 1 - No. 3 Northwestern State vs. No. 6 McNeese
12:00 PM - Game 2 - No. 2 Southeastern vs. No. 7 Nicholls
4:00 PM - Game 3 - No. 1 Sam Houston State vs. No. 8 New Orleans
7:00 PM - Game 4 - No. 4 HBU vs. No. 5 Central Arkansas
 
Thursday, May 24, 2018
9:00 AM - Game 5 - Game 1 Loser vs. Game 2 Loser
12:00 PM - Game 6 - Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Loser
4:00 PM - Game 7 - Game 1 Winner vs. Game 2 Winner
7:00 PM - Game 8 - Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner
 
Friday, May 25, 2018
9:00 AM - Game 9 - Game 7 Loser vs. Game 5 Winner
12:00 PM - Game 10 - Game 8 Loser vs. Game 6 Winner
4:00 PM - Game 11 - Game 7 Winner vs. Game 9 Winner
7:00 PM - Game 12 - Game 8 Winner vs. Game 10 Winner
 
Saturday, May 26, 2018
9:00 AM - Game 13 - Game 11 Loser vs. Game 11 Winner*#
1:00 PM - Game 14 - Game 12 Loser vs. Game 12 Winner^#
6:00 PM - Championship - Game 13 Winner vs. Game 14 Winner+
 
* GAME 13 WILL BE NECESSARY IF THE WINNER OF GAME 9 ALSO WINS GAME 11.
^ GAME 14 WILL BE NECESSARY IF THE WINNER OF GAME 10 ALSO WINS GAME 12.
# IF ONLY ONE OF THE TWO EARLY GAMES IS NECESSARY ON SATURDAY, IT WILL BE PLAYED AT 1 P.M., WITH THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME STARTING AT 6 P.M.
 
No. 7 Nicholls Colonels (26-30, 14-16 SLC) vs. No. 2 Southeastern Louisiana Lions (36-20, 21-9 SLC)

DATES / TIMES / PITCHING MATCHUP
Wednesday, May 23 – 12 p.m. (CT)
NICH – LHP Alex Ernestine (5-5, 5.56) vs.
SLU – RHP Corey Gaconi (6-1, 3.47)
 
STADIUM
Constellation Field (Sugar Land, Texas)

RADIO
• KSLU, 90.9 FM
• Pregame show starts 15 minutes prior to first pitch
 
INTERNET / MOBILE DEVICE
• ESPN+
• www.LionSports.net – live audio and stats
• Radio FX app, TuneIn Radio app