HAMMOND, La. – The Southeastern Louisiana University baseball team defeated Xavier, 7-4, Wednesday in non-conference action at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.
 
Xavier (7-11), which entered the game ranked second in the RPI and with the toughest non-conference schedule in the nation, jumped out in front early. The Musketeers took advantage of a Southeastern error to score three runs in the second inning.
 
SLU (13-3) answered back in the bottom of the inning, cutting into the deficit on Dane Watts' two-run home run. It was the second of the season for the Hammond native.
 
Four more runs in the third gave the Lions the lead, 6-3. Ryan Brome launched a towering solo homer to right field with one out. The blast was his team-leading seventh of the season.
 
A single by TJ Salvaggio and back-to-back walks to Conner O'Neal and Parker Coley loaded the bases. Salvaggio scored on Lakin Polk's RBI groundout. O'Neal scored on a wild pitch and Giovanni Licciardi plated Coley with an RBI single to right.
 
Despite heavy traffic on the basepaths throughout the game, both teams managed just one more run apiece. Xavier picked up another unearned run in the fifth and the Lions added a run in the seventh on a bases-loaded walk.
 
The teams combined to strand 25 runners in the game, 12 of those by SLU.
 
Kaleb Howell (1-0), the third of eight pitchers used in the game by Southeastern, earned the win. It was the first of his SLU career. The sophomore from Denham Springs, Louisiana allowed one run – it was unearned – in 2.2 innings pitched. Brady St. Pierre worked a scoreless ninth, striking out all three batters he faced to earn his second save of the season. Logan Schmidt (0-2) suffered the loss for the Musketeers, allowing six runs – all earned – in 2.2 innings of work.
 
Licciardi (4-for-5) and Brome (2-for-2) turned in multi-hit performances at the plate for the Lions.
 
UP NEXT
Southeastern returns to Southland Conference action this weekend with a three-game series at Stephen F. Austin. Games are scheduled for 6:05 p.m. Friday, 3:05 p.m. Saturday and 1:05 p.m. Sunday at Jaycees Field in Nacogdoches, Texas.
 
It marks the first matchup on the diamond between the two schools since SLU swept a four-game conference series from the Lumberjacks, April 17-18, 2021 in Nacogdoches.
 
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.