BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Down but never out of it, the Southeastern Louisiana University baseball program wiped out an early seven-run deficit on the way to a 14-7 series-clinching win Sunday over UAB at Young Memorial Field.
 
The Blazers (3-4) came out swinging the bats, blasting a pair of first-inning home runs on the way to scoring six runs and knocking Southeastern starting pitcher Will Kinzeler out of the game before he recorded an out.
 
Four SLU (4-3) relievers combined to limit UAB to a single run over the next 8 innings.
 
Shut out on a single hit through the first five innings, the Lion bats came to life in the sixth.
 
Shea Thomas led off the inning with a solo home run to the opposite field. First baseman Conner O'Neal followed with a single to left field. Two outs later, Jude Hall launched a two-run blast to straightaway center. It was the second homer of the season for both Thomas and Hall.
 
Trailing 7-3 entering the seventh, Southeastern continued to pound the baseball.
 
Blazer reliever Leo Harris walked the first two batters he faced before Parker Coley launched a three-run bomb to left-center. Two outs later, Rhett Rosevear parked closer Ben Abernathy's pitch over the wall in right-center for a game-tying solo shot. It was the first homer of the season for both Coley and Rosevear.
 
SLU batted around in the eighth, sending 12 batters to the plate against four different Blazer pitchers on the way to a seven-run inning. Second baseman Jake Haze delivered the lead with a two-run double.
 
Right-handers Lance Lauve, Dalton Aspholm, Lakin Polk and Aiden Vosburg combined to shut down the UAB offense. Polk (1-0) earned the win, tossing 2.2 scoreless innings in relief. He allowed one hit and did not walk a batter, striking out two.
 
Abernathy, who picked up the save for the Blazers in the series opener, was tagged with the loss. He allowed three runs in his one inning of work.
 
All eleven players that went to the plate for the Lions picked up a hit in the game. Rosevear (2-for-5) and TJ Salvaggio (2-for-5) both turned in multi-hit performances.
 
The seven-run deficit is the largest overcome by Southeastern since wiping out a nine-run deficit in a 15-13 win over UNO on May 28, 2021, in the Southland Conference Tournament at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.
 
RADIO SHOW
The next episode of Inside Southeastern Baseball with Bobby Barbier airs live Monday at noon from WiseGuys Daiquiris in Hammond. Barbier joins co-host Allen Waddell for the 60-minute radio show, talking about the latest in Southeastern baseball.
 
It can be heard locally on 90.9 The Lion (KSLU-FM), via the Lions Gameday Experience, TuneIn and MyTuner Radio apps, as well as online at either www.LionSports.net/listenlive or LionUpRadio.org. Both the TuneIn and MyTuner Radio apps are compatible with the Apple CarPlay software available in most modern automobiles.
 
WiseGuys Daiquiris is located at 14372 University Ave. and features a full bar, daiquiris, lots of TVs to watch all your favorite sports events along with a kitchen serving appetizers and pizza.
 
UP NEXT
SLU returns home to Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field for a pair of midweek contests. The Lions host Xavier of Louisiana at 6 p.m. Tuesday and Mississippi Valley State at 6 p.m. Wednesday. The first 100 Southeastern students in attendance at each game will receive a ticket to the upcoming March 6 home game against No. 2-ranked LSU.
 
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 before the game to reserve theirs in advance.
 
General admission tickets for most games are $11 for adults and $8 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 before 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 the 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.
 
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.
 
LINE SCORE
Southeastern 14, UAB 7 (Feb 25, 2024 at Birmingham, AL)
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Southeastern ........ 000 003 470  - 14 13  2      (4-3)
UAB .................... 601 000 000  -   7   9  1      (3-4)
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Pitchers: Southeastern - Kinzeler, Will; Lauve, Lance (1); Aspholm, Dalton (4); Polk, Lakin (5); Vosburg, Aiden (8) and Sorensen, Bailyn. UAB – Daniel, Colin; Harris, Leo (7); Abernathy, Ben (7); Bullard, Matthew (8); Ballard, Thomas (8); Knight, Carson (8); Hill, Brock (9) and Smallwood, Jake.
 
Win-Polk, Lakin (1-0) Loss-Abernathy, Ben (0-1) T-2:55 A-316
HR SLU - Thomas, Shea (2); Hall, Jude (2); Coley, Parker (1); Rosevear, Rhett (1).
HR UAB – Harrington, Tyler (1); Brown, Brayton (2).
Weather: Sunny 66
Kinzeler, W. faced 7 batters in the 1st.
Harris, L. faced 3 batters in the 7th.
Abernathy, B. faced 2 batters in the 8th.
Bullard, M. faced 2 batters in the 8th.
Knight, C. faced 1 batter in the 9th.