HAMMOND, La. – The Southeastern Louisiana University baseball program officially opens its spring preparations for the 2024 NCAA Division I season Friday before hosting Saturday's inaugural Lion Baseball Auction presented by Wiseguys Daiquiris.
 
Saturday afternoon's Alumni Game & Season Ticket Pickup Party has been washed out. Further scrimmage action this weekend will be weather permitting. 
 
As first-year head coach Bobby Barbier shifts practice plans, he is happy with what he's seen from the Lions since they returned to campus last week for the spring semester.
 
"I was really pleased with how we came back," Barbier said. "We needed to be ready to work when we got back and they met the goal. The early group work has been good."
 
A busy fall gave the new coaching staff a chance to work with a group of 44 players, including 20 newcomers to the program, evaluating the roster and building the relationships necessary for long-term success.
 
"I'm looking for competitiveness," Barbier said. "We don't stop competing against each other just because it's the spring and we're playing against other teams. I don't know that a single position has been outright won and I think that is a good thing. We had guys with really good falls that are competing against each other."
 
Returning hitters include Ethan Butler, Michael Curry, Christian Garcia, Jake Killingsworth, Dom Regira, Rhett Rosevear, TJ Salvaggio, Shea Thomas, McGwire Turner and Dane Watts.
 
Members of the pitching staff returning include Dalton Aspholm, Levi Bennett, Mason Creacy, Larson Fabre, Jimmie Johnson, Will Kinzeler, Lance Lauve, Dakota Lee, Lakin Polk, Jackson Rodriguez, Carson Robb, Hayden Robb, Brennan Stuprich and Triston Todorowski.
 
The balanced class of 20 newcomers includes six NCAA DI transfers, seven junior college transfers and seven high school student-athletes.
 
DI transfers include first baseman-outfielder Ryan Brome (Texas Tech), infielder Jake Haze (Northwestern State), first baseman-outfielder Gray Rowlett (Northwestern State), catcher-infielder Bailyn Sorensen (Northwestern State), left-handed pitcher Chance Vaught (Little Rock) and right-handed pitcher-outfielder Justin Williams (Louisiana Tech).
 
JUCO transfers include outfielder Clay Benson (Hinds CC), outfielder Parker Coley (LSU Eunice), outfielder Jude Hall (Yavapai College), catcher Conner O'Neal (Chattahoochee Valley CC), infielder Jeremy Rader (Johnson County CC), outfielder Cole Stromboe (Delgado CC) and right-handed pitcher Aiden Vosburg (LSU Eunice).
 
High school student-athletes include right-handed pitcher Chase Ambrose (Huntsville, Alabama), left-handed pitcher-outfielder Reese Dean (Denham Springs, Louisiana), right-handed pitcher Kaleb Howell (Denham Springs, Louisiana), right-handed pitcher Josh Lee (Gulfport, Mississippi), left-handed pitcher-infielder-outfielder Dom Letort, left-handed pitcher Harris Waghalter (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) and right-handed pitcher-infielder Peyton Woods (Holden, Louisiana).
 
Southeastern opens the Barbier Era with a three-game series against Tarleton State, Feb. 16-18, in Hammond.
 
The Lions have a total of five weekends of non-conference action before Southland play commences, March 22-24, at Northwestern State.
 
SLU will once again host the Southland Conference Tournament, May 22-25, marking the third time in the last four seasons at least part of the event has been held in Hammond.
 
UP NEXT
The inaugural Lion Baseball Auction presented by Wiseguys Daiquiris will be held on campus at Southeastern's War Memorial Student Union. Doors open at 6 p.m. with a cocktail hour running until 7 p.m. Attire is business casual.
 
The event includes dinner and a cash bar as well as both a live auction and a silent auction. Individual seats are $75, children (12 and under) are $25 and reserved corporate sponsor tables (eight seats per table) are available for $500. Fans are encouraged to reserve their space as soon as possible.
  
Auction tickets are available online at www.LionSports.net/BaseballAuction. For further information, contact either the Lion Athletics Association, by phone at (985) 549-5091 or email at laa@southeastern.edu, or assistant coach Taylor Dugas at taylor.dugas-2@southeastern.edu. All proceeds from the event benefit the Southeastern baseball program.

SEASON TICKET INFORMATION
Season ticket holders can pick up a physical copy of their tickets from the Southeastern Athletics Ticket Office during normal business hours. Office hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Fridays. The ticket office phone number is (985) 549-5466.

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
Fans are encouraged to follow the Southeastern Baseball social media accounts (@LionUpBaseball) on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to stay engaged with the program.
 
The latest updates are also available at www.LionSports.net and the Lions Gameday Experience app. Available for both Android and iOS devices, the Gameday app can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play.