CONWAY, Ark. – Will Warren kept Southeastern Louisiana in a tight game early and a pair of late home runs powered the Lions to a 7-3 win over Central Arkansas in the Southland Conference series finale Sunday at Bear Stadium.
 
Pinch hitter Anthony Hickman, Jr. blasted a two-out, solo home run to left field in the eighth inning, giving Southeastern (6-9, 1-2 Southland) its first lead in a week. After a Central Arkansas (7-8, 2-1 Southland) error in the ninth kept the bases loaded, Preseason All-Southland selection Preston Faulkner crushed a grand slam to left.
 
Warren (2-0) allowed one run in eight innings of work to earn the win. The junior right-hander from Brandon, Mississippi struck out a career-high 10 batters, scattering six hits and one walk. Bear reliever Brad Verel (0-1) suffered the loss, surrendering two earned runs in 2.1 innings pitched.
 
The Bears took the early lead with a run in the bottom of the first. Leadoff hitter Connor Emmet drove the first pitch he saw to center field for a double, coming around to score after a sacrifice bunt and a sacrifice fly.
 
Southeastern tied the game up in the third. Trey Harrington led off the inning with an infield single, advancing to second on Champ Artigues' one-out single through the left side. Jacob Burke followed with an RBI single through the left side.
 
Warren and UCA starting pitcher Mark Moyer matched zeros over the next several innings until the Lions broke through against Verel in the eighth. The Bears added a pair of runs in the ninth on a two-run homer by Emmet.
 
UP NEXT
Southeastern wraps up its five-game road trip Tuesday in Ruston, Louisiana with a 6 p.m. game at Ruston High School against Louisiana Tech. There will be no local radio coverage. Other options to follow the action include both audio and video streams provided by Central Arkansas, live statistics or the @LionUpBaseball Twitter account. Links to audio, video and stats are available on the baseball schedule page at www.LionSports.net.
 
INSIDE SOUTHEASTERN BASEBALL WITH MATT RISER
The 2020 edition of Inside Southeastern Baseball with Matt Riser continues Monday at noon from Blackened Brew in downtown Hammond. Riser joins host Allen Waddell for the 60-minute radio show, talking the latest in Southeastern baseball. Each week, select Lion players will also join the duo. Blackened Brew is located at 112 W. Thomas St.
 
The show airs 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 and TuneIn Radio apps. A live video stream of the show will also be available courtesy the Southeastern Sports Network (www.youtube.com/sluathletics).

LIONS GAMEDAY EXPERIENCE APP
The 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 or by following the link www.LionSports.net/App.
 
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.