HAMMOND, La. – Southeastern Louisiana kicks off a busy stretch, during which it plays 10 games in a 13-day span, with back-to-back games Tuesday against UL Lafayette and Wednesday at No. 9-ranked Mississippi State.
 
The Lions (2-5) host UL Lafayette (1-6) at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field and then travel to Starkville, Mississippi, to face Mississippi State (6-1) at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the newly renovated Dudy Noble Field /Polk-Dement Stadium.
 
Before Tuesday's game, the Southeastern Student Government Association will sponsor a student tailgate atop the parking garage attached to Strawberry Stadium.
 
The game is also a Cane's Challenge contest. If the Lions score five or more runs, all fans in attendance can redeem their game ticket or student coupon at their local participating Raising Cane's to receive a free combo with the purchase of another of equal or greater value.
 
Both games can be heard in the Hammond area on the flagship station of the Southeastern Sports Radio Network, KSLU 90.9 FM, online at www.LionSports.net/ListenLive and via the Lions Gameday Experience, Radio FX and TuneIn Radio apps. Fans can also keep up with all the action through streaming video ($ - Tuesday), live statistics or by following @SLUathletics on Twitter.
 
The SEC Network+, available at www.WatchESPN.com and on the WatchESPN app, is streaming a video broadcast of Wednesday's game at Mississippi State.
 
Web links to audio and video broadcasts, stats, promotions and tickets are available on the baseball schedule page at www.LionSports.net.
 
Southeastern, which is coming off a series victory over Stony Brook, is led at the plate by Brennan Breaud (.393), Nathan Pilutti (.367), Preston Faulkner (.333) and Kyle Schimpf (.310). Nick Ray, a redshirt freshman from Jefferson, Louisiana, leads the squad with two home runs and 11 RBI. With a team-high eight stolen bases, Pilutti ranks third nationally in steals.
 
The Lions are hitting .293 collectively, with 16 doubles, two triples, five home runs and 14 stolen bases. Southeastern's pitching staff has worked to a combined 6.82 ERA through seven games, striking out 55 batters in 62 innings. Opponents are hitting .296 off Lion pitching.
 
This past weekend, the Ragin' Cajuns were swept in a three-game series at Southland Conference-foe Sam Houston State.
 
UL Lafayette is hitting .258 as a team, with 15 doubles, one triple, four home runs and 12 stolen bases. Ragin' Cajun pitchers have compiled a 5.08 team ERA, striking out 38 batters in 62 innings of work. Opponents are hitting .273 off UL Lafayette pitching this season.
 
The Ragin' Cajuns' top hitters so far include Hunter Kasuls (.387), Handsome Monica (.300) and Brennan Breaux (.280). Monica leads the team with two home runs and six RBI. Kasuls has picked up a team-high four stolen bases.
 
Mississippi State took two of three at home this past weekend from No. 23-ranked Southern Miss and host Jackson State in a nonconference game Tuesday.
 
Jordan Westburg (.360), Tanner Allen (.357), Dustin Skelton (.348) and Jake Mangum (.310) pace the Bulldogs' offense. Allen, who leads the club with 17 RBI, is one of three players on the team with a pair of home runs. Mangum has swiped a team-high four bases.
 
Through seven games, Mississippi State is hitting .279 as a team, with 17 doubles, one triple, eight home runs and seven stolen bases. Bulldog pitchers have combined for a 1.69 ERA, striking out 90 batters in just 64 innings. Opponents are hitting .173 off Mississippi State pitching.

Southeastern has won its last six games against Mississippi State, including an 11-5 victory over the then No. 19-ranked Bulldogs last season at MGM Park in Biloxi, Mississippi (March 14, 2018).
 
Following the pair of midweek games, Southeastern travels to Troy for a three-game series this coming weekend.
 
CLEAR BAG POLICY
Southeastern Athletics has instituted a clear bag policy for all ticketed events, effective with the start of the 2018 fall semester. The policy mirrors safety precautions taken upon entrance to professional and collegiate sporting venues throughout the country. For more information on the clear bag policy, visit www.LionSports.net/Clear.
 
TICKET INFORMATION
Single-game tickets can be purchased online at www.LionSports.net/Tickets or by contacting the Southeastern Athletics Ticket Office at (985) 549-5466. Office hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Fridays.

General Admission tickets for Lion home games are $9 for adults and $6 for children (ages 3-12). Southeastern students are admitted free with a valid university ID card.
 
The ticket booth at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field opens exactly one hour before first pitch.

LIONS GAMEDAY EXPERIENCE APP
The new Lions Gameday Experience app puts audio, stats, video, social media and more in the hands of fans. Those in attendance can also check in to earn reward points redeemable for Southeastern-related prizes. Available for both Android and iOS devices, it can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play.
 
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.
 
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 or visiting www.LionUp.com.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on Lions Baseball, follow @LionUpBaseball or @MattRiser17 on Twitter,  @LionUpBaseball on Instagram and Facebook, and subscribe to the SLUathletics YouTube channel.