HAMMOND, La. – Graduate transfer Jake Haze earned preseason All-Conference honors Thursday from the Southland Conference as the Southeastern Louisiana University baseball program looks to improve upon the poll prediction.
 
As a returning All-Conference selection from the 2023 season, Haze was an automatic selection to the preseason squad. He earned a spot on the second team. The graduate student from Highlands Ranch, Colorado enjoyed a career year as a member of Bobby Barbier's squad last season at Northwestern State.
 
Haze hit .317 overall with 15 doubles, a pair of triples, four home runs and 42 RBIs in 2023. His numbers in conference games only were even stronger, pounding out hits at a .418 clip. He figures to earn a regular spot in the Southeastern infield after starting all but four of Northwestern State's 56 games last season.
 
SLU was picked seventh in the preseason poll, finishing two votes in back of sixth-place Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. The Lions accumulated 53 total votes on their way to placing one spot higher than they finished the 2023 regular season.
 
The preseason poll is voted on by head coaches and sports information directors in the conference, with coaches selecting the preseason all-conference team.
 
Southeastern opens a new era under Barbier next week with a three-game series against Tarleton State, Feb. 16-18, at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.
 
The 2024 Southland Conference Baseball Championship tournament will be held on May 22-25 at Southeastern's Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field in Hammond, with the tournament champion claiming the automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.

All nine teams will play a 24-game round robin conference schedule against the other eight teams, with the top seven teams in the conference qualifying for the double-elimination conference tournament.
 
RADIO SHOW
The inaugural edition of Inside Southeastern Baseball with Bobby Barbier is set to debut Monday at noon from WiseGuys Daiquiris in Hammond. Barbier will join co-host Allen Waddell at lunchtime every Monday during the season for the 60-minute radio show, talking the latest in Southeastern baseball.
 
Inside Southeastern Baseball with Bobby Barbier 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 LionUpRadio.org or www.LionSports.net/listenlive. Both the TuneIn and MyTuner Radio apps are compatible with the Apple CarPlay software available in most modern automobiles.
 
WiseGuys' new location at 14372 University Ave. opened last month. It features a full bar, daiquiris, lots of TVs to watch all your favorite sports events and a kitchen serving appetizers and pizza.
 
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 before 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 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.
 
PRESEASON FIRST TEAM
1B – Edgar Alvarez, Nicholls*
2B – MaCrae Kendrick, Nicholls
SS – Parker Coddou, Nicholls*
3B – Ethan Ruiz, Lamar
C – Miguel Useche, New Orleans
DH – Rey Mendoza, UIW*
OF – Mitchell Sanford, New Orleans*
OF – Samuel Benjamin, HCU*
OF – Isaac Williams, New Orleans
SP – Jacob Mayers, Nicholls*
SP – Brooks Caple, Lamar*
SP – Hunter Hesseltine, Lamar*
RP – Gavin Galy, Nicholls*
UT – Kamin Dodge, Lamar
 
PRESEASON SECOND TEAM
1B – Cameron Crotte, UIW
2B – Austin Roccaforte, Lamar
SS – Jake Haze, Southeastern*
3B – Dylan Mach, New Orleans
C – Bo Willis, Northwestern State
DH – River Orsak, Lamar
OF – Garrett Felix, Nicholls
OF – Cooper Hext, McNeese
OF – Christian Smith-Johnson, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
SP – Chase Prestwich, Northwestern State
SP – Isaiah Zavala, UIW
SP – Jacob Ellis, Lamar
RP – Jackson Cleveland, Lamar
UT – Grant Randall, UIW
 
PRESEASON POLL
1. Nicholls (14) - 126
2. Lamar (1) - 106
3. New Orleans (3) - 92
4. UIW - 81
5. McNeese - 67
6. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi - 55
7. Southeastern - 53
8. Northwestern State - 42
9. HCU - 26
 
* - Returning All-Conference Selection
(First-Place Votes)