HAMMOND, La. – The Southeastern Louisiana University baseball team received strong pitching performances in both ends of a doubleheader sweep of UIW, 6-4 and 5-1, in Southland Conference action Saturday at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.
 
Southeastern (25-7, 11-4 SLC) bounced back from a 6-4 setback at the hands of the Cardinals (14-20, 2-16 SLC) in Friday's series opener.
 
Luke Lirette retired the first 12 batters he faced for the Lions, carrying a perfect game into the fifth inning of Saturday's first game. The junior from Houma, Louisiana logged a season-high 6.2 innings pitched before handing the ball over to the bullpen. Aiden Vosburg and Brady St. Pierre combined to close out the game with 2.1 scoreless innings of relief work.
 
In the finale, Blake Lobell (4-1) spun the first nine-inning complete game by an SLU pitcher in nearly four seasons. The junior from Holden, Louisiana allowed one unearned run and limited the Cardinals to four hits and a pair of walks. He struck out four as he became the first Lion hurler to finish nine innings since Brennan Stuprich tossed a four-hit shutout at UNO on April 25, 2021.
 
Southeastern returns to the road for the next four games. The Lions travel to New Orleans, Louisiana for a 6:30 p.m. non-conference matchup Tuesday with Tulane at Greer Field at Turchin Stadium. The remaining three games are part of a conference series at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, April 11-13, at Chapman Field in Corpus Christi, Texas.
 
GAME ONE – SLU 6, UIW 4
Lirette was locked in from the start, allowing the bats time to get going. It did not take long.
 
With one out in the bottom of the first, UIW starting pitcher hit Ryan Brome with a pitch. TJ Salvaggio blasted the next pitch over the left-field wall for a two-run homer. It was his seventh of the season and the 28^th of his career, moving him past both Mark McMorris (1984-85) and Joe Labruzzo (1996-99) into a tie for sixth place on the program's all-time chart with Brent Taylor (1986-89).
 
Conner O'Neal, Mo Little, Dane Watts and Bailyn Sorensen ripped consecutive singles leading to a 3-0 SLU lead after one.
 
Single runs in the second and third padded the Lion advantage.
 
The Cardinals ended Lirette's shutout bid in the sixth on a three-run home run off the bat of designated hitter Rey Mendoza. It was his eighth of the season and second of the series.
 
After UIW pulled within a run on a solo homer in the seventh, Little responded with a leadoff blast in the bottom of the frame. It was his fourth home run of the season.
 
Vosburg picked up the final out of the seventh for the Lions before St. Pierre clocked the final two, earning his sixth save of the season. Lirette (2-1) earned the win, allowing four runs – all earned – while scattering four hits and three walks. He struck out a pair of Cardinal batters.
 
Salvaggio (3-for-4), Licciardi (2-for-5), Little (2-for-4) and Sorensen (2-for-4) all turned in multi-hit efforts for Southeastern.
 
GAME TWO – SLU 5, UIW 1
The Lion bats were hot early once again.
 
Licciardi led off the first with a single to left. Salvaggio bunted for a one-out hit and O'Neal followed by pulling an RBI single through the right side of the infield.
 
With one out in the second, Jude Hall reached on a throwing error by the UIW shortstop. After Parker Coley drew a walk, both runners advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch. Licciardi plated them both with a single through the left side for a 3-0 lead.
 
Hammond-native Dane Watts tacked on an insurance run with one out in the fifth, pulling the ball out of the ballpark down the right-field line for his third home run of the season.
 
Coley worked another walk in the sixth, scoring on another RBI single by O'Neal.
 
A throwing error in the eighth led to an unearned run for UIW, ending the shutout bid.
 
Licciardi (3-for-5), O'Neal (2-for-5) and Salvaggio (2-for-5) produced multiple hits each in the finale.
 
RADIO SHOW
Inside Southeastern Baseball with Bobby Barbier airs live each Monday at 5 p.m. 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 KSLU 90.9 The Lion, via the Lions Gameday Experience 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.
 
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.