Burke blast backs Warren in Southeastern win over Troy

HAMMOND, La. – Right-hander Will Warren kept the Troy bats in lockdown and freshman Jacob Burke provided an offensive explosion as Southeastern Louisiana defeated the Trojans, 7-1, Saturday at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.

Burke’s fourth-inning grand slam capped a six-run inning for the Lions (6-4), giving Warren (2-0) all the support he would need as the junior from Brandon, Mississippi allowed one unearned run in seven innings of work.

For the second time in as many games, the Trojans (7-4) scored first. An errant throw kept the second inning alive and Troy capitalized, picking up a run on an RBI single by catcher Caleb Bartolero.

Southeastern answered in the third. Freshman designated hitter Rhett Rosevear was hit by a pitch and then advanced to third base on Evan Keller’s one-out single. Rosevear scored on Champ Artigues’ squeeze bunt, tying the game.

After retiring the first two batters in the fourth, the game unraveled on Trojan starting pitcher Garrett Gainous (2-1). The freshman right-hander walked Lion catcher Gaby Cruz and surrendered a single to first baseman Preston Faulkner before issuing a walk to Rosevear, loading the bases.

Gainous promptly hit Keller with a pitch and walked Artigues, forcing in a pair of runs, before coughing up the bases-clearing blast to Burke. The home run was Burke’s second of the season.

Warren retired the side in order in the fifth and sixth, and got a double play to help him out of a jam in the seventh. The Lions turned three double plays in the game.

Reliever Cole Hoskins faced the minimum over the final two innings, closing out the ballgame as the Lions claimed the series and won their third-straight.

Burke (2-for-3) and Faulkner (2-for-4) picked up a pair of hits each for Southeastern.

UP NEXT
The series concludes Sunday at 1 p.m. Freshman right-hander Brennan Stuprich (0-0, 5.40) draws the starting nod for the Lions in the finale opposite sophomore right-hander Bay Witcher (2-0, 1.38).

A limited supply of left-field general admission seats remains. Fans may purchase tickets online at www.LionSports.net/Tickets. Southeastern students are encouraged to contact the ticket office prior to the game to reserve theirs in advance.

Sunday’s game can be heard in the Hammond area on the flagship station of the Southeastern Sports Radio Network – KSLU 90.9 FM – in addition to online at www.LionSports.net/ListenLive and via both the Lions Gameday Experience and TuneIn Radio apps.

Fans can watch a free video stream of the series finale using the Lions’ Gameday Experience app for Android or iOS devices, the Southland Conference Digital Network app for smart TV devices (e.g., Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Android TV and Roku) or online at www.LionSports.net/SSN.

Other options to follow the action include live statistics or the @LionUpBaseball Twitter account. Links to audio, video and stats are available on the baseball schedule page at www.LionSports.net.