HAMMOND, La. – The No. 2-seeded Southeastern Louisiana University baseball team picked up a pair of monumental wins Saturday, taking down No. 7-seeded Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 18-11, in an elimination game and then setting several Southland Conference Tournament records in a 25-4 win over No. 3-seeded New Orleans in seven innings at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.
 
With the wins, Southeastern (27-28) forces a winner-take-all game Sunday at 1 p.m. against UNO (30-22) for the right to advance to the tournament championship series, May 26-28, in Lake Charles, Louisiana.
 
Fans in the Hammond area can listen to SLU game broadcasts on the flagship station of the Southeastern Sports Radio Network – KSLU 90.9 FM – in addition to online at www.LionSports.net/ListenLive and via the Lions Gameday Experience, Mixlr and MyTuner Radio apps. The MyTuner app is compatible with the Apple CarPlay software available in most late model automobiles. Fans should search for SLU Athletics (Mixlr) or Southeastern Sports Radio Network (MyTuner).
 
All tournament games will air on ESPN+.
 
In the day's first game, SLU scored in every inning except the sixth as it held off the Islanders (27-28).
 
The Lions took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, but A&M-Corpus Christi send nine batters to the plate in the second on its way to taking the lead. Down 3-1, SLU responded with five runs in the bottom of the inning.
 
Southeastern surrendered runs in each of the next five innings, but never surrendered the lead.
 
Preston Faulkner and Shea Thomas both homered twice and drove in seven runs against the Islanders, tying the most RBIs by a Southland hitter this season. It was the second time this season that Thomas hit the mark.
 
Thomas (4-for-5), Faulkner (3-for-4) and Rhett Rosevear (3-for-4) picked up multiple hits in the game. Evan Keller (4), Rosevear (4), Faulker (3), Thomas (2) and Connor Manola (2) all scored multiple runs.
 
Dalton Aspholm (1-0) earned the win, working 2.2 innings in relief while Gage Trahan earned his 11^th save of the season, one off the conference high.
 
In the nightcap, the Lions set or tied six tournament records.
 
Southeastern broke the record for runs scored in a tournament game (25) and in a single inning (12), both previously held by Texas State. A 12-run sixth inning in which SLU sent 16 batters to the plate helped achieve both.
 
A combined 22 RBIs by the Lions also set a new tournament single-game record. Shea Thomas (5-for-5) tied the tournament record for hits in a game.
 
Keller, who scored four more runs in the game, set a new tournament record with 13 runs scored so far in four games. Faulkner and Thomas have both driven in 12 runs, tying the tournament record set last season at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.
 
The Lions have hit 15 home runs through their first four games, tying the tournament record set by Lamar in 2004.
 
Eight of the nine players in the starting lineup picked up a hit. Thomas, Tyler Fink (3-for-4), Keller (3-for-4), Faulkner (2-for-3) and Rosevear (2-for-3) all turned in multi-hit performances at the plate.
 
Faulkner, Finke, Keller, Thomas and Rosevear scored four runs apiece in the rout. The first four also homered in the game.
 
Hunter O'Toole (3-4) earned the win, logging 6.2 desperately-needed innings for the Lion pitching staff.
 
TOURNAMENT TICKET & PARKING INFORMATION
All-Tournament booklets are $75 for adults and $40 for youth (ages 3-12) while general admission tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for youth (ages 3-12). Students from participating Southland Conference institutions, with a valid university ID, and children under age 2 are admitted for free. Gameday parking is $5 per day for standard vehicles and $25 for RVs.
 
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 4 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Fridays. The ticket booth at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field opens exactly one hour prior to the scheduled first pitch.

Southeastern uses mobile ticketing as the primary method for distributing tickets purchased online. Tickets will be available via text message or email in a PDF format for fans to download on their phone or print at home. Tickets can also be downloaded to Apple Wallet. 
 
CLEAR BAG POLICY
Southeastern Athletics enforces a clear bag policy for all ticketed events. The policy mirrors safety precautions required for entrance to professional and collegiate sporting venues throughout the country. For more information on the clear bag policy, visit www.LionSports.net/Clear.
 
RADIO SHOW
The next episode of Inside Southeastern Baseball with Matt Riser, presented by Pour House Pizza and Beer Garden, is slated for Monday at 12 p.m. from the restaurant in downtown Hammond. Fans can listen to every show online at www.LionSports.net/ListenLive and via the Lions Gameday Experience, MyTuner Radio or Mixlr apps. The MyTuner Radio app is compatible with the Apple CarPlay software available in most newer automobiles.
 
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 by 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.
 
HAMMOND BRACKET SCHEDULE
Thursday, May 19, 2022
Game 1 (1 p.m.) - No. 3 New Orleans 10, No. 6 HBU 3
Game 2 (6 p.m.) - No. 7 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 6, No. 2 Southeastern 5
 
Friday, May 20, 2022
Game 3 (1 p.m.) – No. 2 Southeastern 12, N. 6 HBU 4
Game 4 (6 p.m.) – No. 3 New Orleans 10, No. 7 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 9
 
Saturday, May 21, 2022
Game 5 (1 p.m.) - No. 2 Southeastern 18, No. 7 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 11
Game 6 (6 p.m.) - No. 2 Southeastern 25, No. 3 New Orleans 4
 
Sunday, May 22, 2022
Game 7 (1 p.m.) – No. 3 New Orleans vs. No. 2 Southeastern (ESPN+)