HAMMOND, La. – Coming off another Southland Conference Tournament championship and NCAA Regional appearance, expectations are running high as the Southeastern Louisiana University baseball program opens preseason practice Friday.
 
Entering his 10th season as head coach, Matt Riser welcomes back 26 returners from last season's championship squad as preparations ramp up for another run at the postseason.
 
"The biggest thing we're looking for as we open up practice is getting back into game mode, applying all the stuff we put into place this fall," Riser said. "Physically we're in a great place, but we need to be in the right spot mentally as well. The goal every season is to be in mid-season form come Opening Day. That takes a lot of focus, energy and aptitude."
 
Joining the returning members of the 2022 tournament champs are 18 newcomers, including a pair of JUCO All-Americans and the 2021 Rawlings-Perfect Game National Pitcher of the Year, that look to earn roles in a program seeking its fifth Regional bid of the decade.
 
"I thought this past fall was the most productive we've had," Riser said. "We decided to start early and follow up with training on the back side to be as physical and in shape as we could possibly be. That's put us in a really good place coming into January. The guys have put in the work and are in the best shape they've ever been, getting ready to defend a title."
 
A team is only as good as its on-field leadership and nothing showcased that better than the roller-coaster season SLU endured in 2022. Battling injuries throughout the year, Southeastern pulled together to grind out six elimination wins in the conference tournament. Riser believes that some of that battle-hardened crew is ready to become the next generation of Lion leaders.
 
"You look at guys like Christian Garcia, and the step he took forward this fall in his leadership capacity, Tyler Finke, we all know he is a great player but now it's his turn to be a leader on this team, and then you add in a sixth-year guy like Connor Manola, it's like having another coach on the field," Riser said. "They will be our veterans."
 
All three played key roles in a Lion offense that helped break or tie 17 conference tournament records. Over the course of the full season, Southeastern led the Southland in doubles, home runs and walks, and finished as the national leader in HBPs.
 
"I really like this offense," Riser said. "There are some mainstays with Finke, Garcia, Shea Thomas and Rhett Rosevear. We have enough pieces to run a lineup out there depending on the situation, whether it's a left-hander or right-hander, what the conditions are, play the hot streaks, or send out a defensive lineup versus an offensive lineup. We have 12 or 13 guys that could be mainstays in anybody's lineup, but for us, this will be a very selfless offense. Guys in there doing it for the betterment of the team, at the best of their ability."
 
Fighting for an everyday spot in the lineup are the aforementioned JUCO All-Americans, Jake Killingsworth and Ethan Moore.
 
A power-hitting catcher, Killingsworth hit .441 with 26 doubles, eight homers and 65 RBIs last season at Wallace Community College-Dothan. Moore blasted 20 doubles and 24 homers to help lead Murray State College to the NJCAA DII World Series.
 
"When you look at some of the new pieces or guys that take their role to an everyday standpoint, you look at shortstop and first base," Riser said. "We lost two huge pieces there in Preston Faulkner and Evan Keller, guys that were three or four-year starters for us. You have to fill that void and it could be one or it might be multiple guys that fill those roles."
 
The Lions will have multiple options at first base. In addition to catcher, Killingsworth could see time there along with Champ Artigues. Pierce Leavengood also returns and provides a power bat from the left side. TJ Salvaggio, who spent the majority of the season as a defensive sub for the Lions, saw playing time at both middle infield positions.
 
"At shortstop, TJ is as good as they come defensively in the country," Riser said. "We'll look for his offense to continue improving as it did in the fall. At first base, there are a plethora of guys. Champ can easily slide over. He had the DH role last year and we're trying to get more left-handed bats in the lineup. Pierce has the ability to play both first and left field. Then you have veterans like Joe Delaney who has ultimate speed. This is his year to break out and have that big season for us, helping replace what Tristan Welch brought for us in the outfield last year."
 
On the mound, the Lions look to make up for lost time as several key arms return after missing time last season.
 
"Let's talk about the excitement of bringing all these arms back after a year of injuries," Riser said. "Brennan Stuprich is the main one people are talking about, a Freshman All-American coming back off an injury, and his stuff is better now that it was pre-surgery. We should hopefully get Trey Harrington back after his mid-season injury. Jay Long, one that nobody really got to see last year, is back healthy and gives us a left-handed option in the rotation. Then there's a fresh and healthy Will Kinzeler. He battled that injury for half the year and then you saw the warrior he was at the end."
 
The silver lining for last season's MASH unit was the opportunity it provided for several arms to gain experience in roles they might not have otherwise.
 
"We have the growth of Dalton Aspholm, Andrew Landry, Lance Lauve, Adam Guth and all those guys that were forced into roles, even if they weren't ready for it. They embraced the roles and got better as the year wore on. That experience will pay huge dividends on the back end."
 
The incoming class of pitchers is deep and several will be called on to fill key roles this season.
 
"It all goes back to the makeup and mentality," Riser said. "When we signed what we did for the incoming class, you have a Lakin Polk in there. He's a true freshman from Ponchatoula [Louisiana] and his mentality is that of a back-end piece. You have Connor Spencer, the closer from Northwest Mississippi played for our alum Dom Carlini, and he's another guy with that back-end mentality. Add in a few of those pieces, with what we have returning, and that's a very exciting staff that has a chance to do something we haven't done in a few years – lead this league and country in pitching."
 
Southeastern opens the season Feb. 17 at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field against Lafayette College. The opening weekend series against the Easton, Pennsylvania-based institution is slated for four games, with a Saturday doubleheader book-ended by single games Friday and Sunday.
 
TICKET & PARKING INFORMATION
Single-game tickets are now on sale. Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance to minimize ticket lines on game days. Southeastern students are encouraged to contact the ticket office prior to the game to reserve theirs in advance.
 
General admission tickets for most games are $9 for adults and $6 for youth (ages 3-12). Southeastern students, with a 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. 
 
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.