Former Lion pitcher Kaleb Manuel rejoined the Southeastern Louisiana baseball staff in June of 2019 as the pitching coach.
Southeastern's volunteer assistant from 2016-2018, Manuel instructed outfielders, assisted with administrative duties and was responsible for field maintenance at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field. He also served as camp coordinator.
A two-time member of the Southland Conference Honor Roll, Manuel was named the Louisiana Pitcher of the Week (May 13, 2013) after he tossed a complete game to defeat No. 28-ranked Sam Houston State, 5-1, and snap the Bearkats 11-game winning streak.
Prior to Southeastern, Manuel spent two years pitching at perennial power LSU-Eunice, serving as team captain his sophomore season. The right-hander capped his freshman season by closing out the National Championship game for the Bengals at the NJCAA Divison II World Series.
A native of Mamou, Louisiana, Manuel graduated from Southeastern in 2013 with a bachelor’s degree in general studies. He and his wife, the former Courtney Harris, reside in Hammond.
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CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
2019 (Pearl River HS): Served as the head coach ... led the Rebels to a 23-7 record and the state 4A quarterfinals, falling to eventual runner-up Breaux Bridge (best 2-of-3) ... produced one All-State performer and another earned an honorable mention.
2018 (Southeastern): The Lions challenged for the conference title until the final weekend of the regular season, set the school record for stolen bases, cracked the regular-season polls for the second time in program history and extended their winning streak over SEC powerhouse Mississippi State … finished third nationally with 136 stolen bases … broke program record (122) for steals in a single season ... third straight season the Lions finished in the nation’s Top 10 … earned a national ranking during the regular season for just the second time in program history ... cracking the Collegiate Baseball poll at No. 28 after 5-0 week that included shutout of Purdue, win over No. 19-ranked Mississippi State and sweep of road conference series … win over Mississippi State at MGM Park in Biloxi extended Southeastern’s winning streak over the Bulldogs to six straight … five Lions earned All-Conference honors … three were drafted ... Josh Green (Arizona, 14th round), Daniel Wasinger (Arizona, 31st round) and Avans (Los Angeles-NL, 33rd round) became members of the second-largest draft class in program history.
2017 (Southeastern): NCAA Tournament participant … junior infielder Taylor Schwaner enjoyed a breakout season on his way to picking up the Southland Conference Player of the Year award … as late as May 11, Schwaner was third nationally in RBI … Schwaner and Carson Crites finished 1-2 in the Southland in RBI … Drew Avans finished ninth nationally in stolen bases … Southeastern’s trademark aggressive base running led to 118 stolen bases, ranking fifth nationally … Mac Sceroler broke the school’s consecutive scoreless innings record (36.2) … Sceroler (5th round, Cincinnati) and Crites (25th round, Minnesota) were drafted and signed professional contracts.
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2016 (Southeastern): NCAA Tournament participant … the Lions strung together a school-record 14 straight wins on their way to 40 victories … redshirt junior battled back from an injury that cost him all of 2015 to lead the nation in batting average through the end of the regular season … his final .424 average was a school record and second-highest in the nation … a six-time All-American, an Academic All-American, the Southland Conference Player of the Year and the Louisiana Hitter of the Year, Fisher was also a semifinalist for the Dick Hoswer Trophy, Golden Spikes Award and Gregg Olson Award … Lion pitchers tossed a conference-leading, and school-record, nine shutouts (fifth nationally) … staff led Southland in ERA (3.01), strikeouts (463) and opponent batting average (.235) … Kade Granier named Southland Conference Relief Pitcher of the Year, allowing just one run and carrying a 0.28 ERA into the final conference series of the year … Mac Sceroler led the Southland in wins (10) … Kyle Cedotal was named a Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week for the second time in his career … all four members of Southeastern’s starting rotation (Cedotal, Sceroler, Domenick Carlini, Pat Cashman) were selected in the MLB Draft.
2013-14 (St. Stanislaus HS): Served as assistant baseball and football coach … baseball squad, under the direction of head coach Mark Logan, won district and saw players move on to the collegiate ranks at Ole Miss, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and Pearl River Community College.
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