NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Southeastern Louisiana University baseball team smashed 17 hits, including four home runs, on the way to a run-rule victory, 16-3, over Stephen F. Austin in eight innings Saturday during Southland Conference action at Jaycees Field.
 
Southeastern (15-3, 5-0 SLC) picked up the series victory while remaining undefeated in conference action. SFA (7-11, 2-6 SLC) dropped its third consecutive series in Southland play.
 
Ryan Brome launched a pair of solo home runs, giving him nine this season and a share of the conference lead.
 
Brome and TJ Salvaggio went back-to-back with two outs in the third inning, putting the Lions on the scoreboard for the first time in the game. Salvaggio's shot was his fourth of the season.
 
Two batters later, Logan Walters led off the fourth with a solo shot to left field. It was the third of the season for Walters.
 
SLU took a 4-0 lead in the fifth on Brome's second home run of the game.
 
Walters was hit by a pitch leading off the sixth. He advanced to second base on an errant pickoff throw and then to third on a pinch-hit single by Jude Hall. Walters scored on a wild pitch.
 
Southeastern batted around in the seventh, scoring five runs to take a 10-0 lead.
 
The SLU shutout bid ended with two outs in the seventh on a sacrifice fly. The Lumberjacks added two more runs in the inning.
 
SFA's bid to keep the game alive was short-lived as the Lions batted around once again in the eighth, pushing across six runs this time.
 
Lakin Polk (3-0) earned the win, tossing six shutout innings. He surrendered four hits and one walk, striking out five batters. Lumberjack starting pitcher Elian Balmaceda (0-3) suffered the loss, allowing three runs – all earned – in 4.0 innings pitched.
 
Seven different players – Brome, Coley, Licciardi, Robichaux, Salvaggio, Walters and Watts – picked up two hits apiece for the Lions. Brome, Robichaux and Walters drove in three runs each while Walters also scored four runs. Brome and Salvaggio scored three times each.
 
Brome is the fourth different SLU player with a multi-homer game this season and the Lions' season total of 37 leads the Southland.
 
UP NEXT
The series wraps up Sunday at 1:05 p.m. on ESPN+. Live stats will be available in the Lions Gameday Experience app and online at www.LionSports.net.
 
Blake Lobell (1-0, 5.19), a junior right-hander from Holden, Louisiana, earns the start on the mound for Southeastern in the series finale. He will be opposed by junior right-hander Hayden Tronson (0-3, 5.27).
 
Fans can listen to Southeastern (13-3, 3-0 SLC) game broadcasts in the Hammond area on KSLU 90.9 The Lion. In addition, an audio stream is available online at www.LionSports.net/ListenLive and via the Lions Gameday Experience and MyTuner Radio apps. The MyTuner app is compatible with the Apple CarPlay software available in most late-model automobiles.
 
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.