HAMMOND, La. – A two-homer night from Jude Hall and a strong pitching performance from ace Brennan Stuprich helped the No. 6 seed Southeastern Louisiana University baseball team roll to a 10-2 victory over third-seeded New Orleans in the final game of the opening day of the 2024 North Oaks Health System Southland Conference Baseball Championship Wednesday night at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.
 
Southeastern (29-26) will move on to face Nicholls Thursday at 7 p.m. in one of two winner's bracket games. New Orleans (30-25) will take on Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in one of two elimination games Thursday at noon.
 
Hall finished 2-for-3 with four RBI and three runs scored to lead a nine-hit Lion attack. Jake Haze was also 2-for-3 for Southeastern, while teammates Ryan Brome and Cole Stromboe each had two RBI.
 
Stuprich (6-3) did not allow an earned run, scattering eight hits and striking out six in seven strong innings on the mound. The first-team All-SLC pitcher gave way to Levi Bennett, who faced the minimum over the final two innings to help close out the victory.
 
After New Orleans took advantage of a Lion error in the bottom of the first inning to take an early 2-0 lead, SLU answered in the top of the second against UNO starter Ryan Delorbe (3-2). Jake Killingsworth roped a one-out double into the right centerfield gap, then Hall tied it with a two-run home run over the right centerfield fence.
 
Southeastern took the lead for good in the top of the fourth inning. One out after Haze drew a walk, Hall struck again, powering a towering two-run home run to straight away centerfield. The Chilliwack, British Columbia native's second multi-home run game of the spring ran his season total to 11 and put SLU in front, 4-2.
 
New Orleans mounted a threat in the bottom of the fifth inning against Stuprich, putting runners on the corners with two outs. In a matchup of All-Southland performers, Stuprich got the best of Miguel Useche, forcing him to fly out and maintaining the Lions' two-run cushion.
 
Southeastern put the game away in the top of the sixth inning, sending 10 to the plate in a six-run frame. Singles by Shea Thomas and Haze, followed by Hall being hit by a pitch loaded the bases with one out. New Orleans reliever Cortez Dennis then plunked Connor O'Neal to force in a run.
 
From there, Stromboe singled home a pair of runs, followed by an RBI single by Parker Coley. Ryan Brome then cleared the bases with a two-run double into the right field corner to give Southeastern a commanding 10-2 advantage.
 
Stuprich and Bennett combined to hold the Privateers to two hits over the final four innings. Several nice plays by Haze, as well as a behind-the-back snag by Bennett helped SLU hold UNO at bay.
 
Wednesday's tournament action opened with No. 5 seed McNeese topping fourth-seeded Northwestern State, 10-5. No. 8 seed UIW upset top-seeded Lamar, 6-3, in game two, while second-seeded Nicholls was too much for No. 7 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in a 14-2 run-rule victory.
 
Thursday's action will open with a 9 a.m. elimination game between Lamar and NSU. McNeese and UIW will face off at 4 p.m. All of Thursday's games will be televised on ESPN+, while the SLU-Nicholls tilt can be heard in the Hammond area on 90.9 The Lion.
 
Streaming audio of 90.9 The Lion broadcasts is available online, at www.LionSports.net/ListenLive or www.LionUpRadio.org, or through the following apps - Lions' Gameday, TuneIn and MyTuner Radio.
 
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.
 
2024 North Oaks Health System Southland Conference Baseball Championship
May 22-25, 2024 | Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field | Hammond, America
 
Wednesday, May 22
Game 1 – No. 5 McNeese 10, No. 4 Northwestern State 5
Game 2 – No. 8 UIW 6, No. 1 Lamar 3
Game 3 – No. 2 Nicholls 14, No. 7 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 2 (7 Innings)
Game 4 – No. 6 Southeastern 10, No. 3 New Orleans 2
 
Thursday, May 23
Game 5 – Northwestern State vs. Lamar, 9 a.m. (Elimination game) | ESPN+
Game 6 – Texas A&M-Corpus Christi vs. New Orleans, 12 p.m. (Elimination game) | ESPN +
Game 7 – McNeese vs. UIW, 4 p.m. | ESPN+
Game 8 – Nicholls vs. Southeastern, 7 p.m. | ESPN+ | 90.9 The Lion
 
Friday, May 24
Game 9 – Game 5 Winner vs. Game 7 Loser, 9 a.m. (Elimination game) | ESPN+
Game 10 – Game 6 Winner vs. Game 8 Loser, 12 p.m. (Elimination game) | ESPN+
Game 11 – Game 7 Winner vs. Game 9 Winner, 4 p.m.  | ESPN+
Game 12 – Game 8 Winner vs. Game 10 Winner, 7 p.m. | ESPN+
 
Saturday, May 25
Game 13 – Winner of Game 11 vs. Game 11 Loser (if necessary), TBD | ESPN+
Game 14 – Winner of Game 12 vs. Game 12 Loser (if necessary), TBD | ESPN+
Game 15 – Winner of Game 13 vs. Winner of Game 14 (if necessary), TBD | ESPN+