Lions bats spark doubleheader sweep of Saint Louis

HAMMOND, La. – The Southeastern Louisiana University baseball team hit its way to a doubleheader sweep of Saint Louis, 10-8 and 9-8, in non-conference action Saturday at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.

Saint Louis (15-3) came into the series with one of the most prolific offenses in the nation, ranked third in batting average (.361) and fourth in runs scored per game (12.0) this season. Southeastern (14-6) finished the day not only with a higher run total but also with a higher overall batting average combined in the two games.

With the sweep, the Lions extended their winning streak to five games for the second time this season.

The series concludes Sunday with a 1 p.m. first pitch on ESPN+. Will Kinzeler (1-0, 7.02), a senior right-hander from Covington, Louisiana, earns the start on the mound for the Lions. Saint Louis has not announced a starting pitcher for the series finale.

Fans can also listen to the game broadcast in the Hammond area on 90.9 The Lion. In addition, an audio stream is available online at www.LionSports.net/ListenLive and via the Lions Gameday Experience, TuneIn and MyTuner Radio apps. Both the TuneIn and MyTuner apps are compatible with the Apple CarPlay software available in most late-model automobiles. Search for KSLU 90.9 FM in the TuneIn app.

Free general admission tickets are available each Sunday home game for active military members presenting a valid service ID at the gate.

GAME ONE – Southeastern 10, Saint Louis 8
Southeastern came out swinging the bats early. Picking up a run in the first inning and two more in the second.

Rhett Rosevear led off the first, popping the ball up to the shortstop. He lost the ball in the sun and it dropped for a double. After advancing to third on a fly ball, Rosevear scored Shea Thomas’ sacrifice fly to center field.

TJ Salvaggio and Justin Williams produced back-to-back singles to open up the second. After Bailyn Sorensen walked to load the bases with one out, Rosevear pulled a single through the right side to plate both Salvaggio and Williams.

Saint Louis scored a run in the third, but the Lions answered in the bottom of the inning. Ryan Brome blasted his first home run in a Southeastern uniform, staking the Lions to a 4-1 lead.

The Billikens battled back, scoring two unearned runs in the fourth to pull within a run, but Southeastern answered with three more in the bottom half of the inning.

Williams led off with a solo homer to left, chasing the Saint Louis starting pitcher Jackson Holmes from the game. It was his third home run of the season. Jude Hall greeted reliever Jack Weber with a double to center. After a walk and a hit batter loaded the bases, Jake Haze plated Hall and Sorensen with a single through the right side to put the Lion up 7-3 in the game.

The Billikens came right back with three runs of their own in the fifth, pulling back within a run. A pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning extended the Southeastern lead once again.

Brome led off the fifth with a single to center. He scored one out later on Salvaggio’s third homer of the season.

A run in the seventh on a fielder’s choice grounder provided the Lions’ 10th run of the game.

Three consecutive hits with two outs in the ninth spoiled an opportunity for reliever Levin Bennett to finish the game, Jackson Rodriguez came on to record the final out and seal the victory.

Bennett (1-0) earned the win, tossing a career-high 4.1 innings in relief. He allowed three runs on six hits, striking out two. He did not walk a batter. Rodriguez earned his fourth save of the season. Holmes (4-1) suffered the loss, allowing five runs – all earned – in his three-inning stint.

The Lions pounded out 12 hits in the game. Brome (3-for-3), Rosevear (2-for-4), Salvaggio (2-for-4) and Williams (2-for-4) all turned in multi-hit performances for Southeastern.

GAME TWO – Southeastern 9, Saint Louis 8
The offense was a little slower building for the Lions in the nightcap. Saint Louis took a 1-0 lead in the first, but single runs in the second and third put the Lions out in front.

Williams singled to open up the second, advancing to third on a pair of groundouts. He scored on Conner O’Neal’s RBI single to right-center.

Rosevear led off the third with a double down the right-field line. Advancing to third after a pair of walks, he scored on a wild pitch by Billikens’ starting pitcher Charlie Weber.

Saint Louis regained the lead with three runs in the fourth, 4-2, but the Lions battled back with a pair of their own in the bottom of the inning to tie the game.

Salvaggio drew a leadoff walk and scored on O’Neal’s homer down the right-field line. It was the first home run in a Southeastern uniform for the junior out of Waverly Hall, Georgia.

The Billikens responded immediately, scoring a run in the fifth move back in front and then tacked on three more in the sixth for an 8-4 lead.

Southeastern set to work at whittling away the deficit in the bottom half of the sixth.

O’Neal drew a leadoff walk from reliever Easton Richter. After Rosevear was hit by a pitch, Haze single down the third-base line to plate O’Neal.

The Lions inched closer in the seventh, scoring a pair of runs to pull within one of Saint Louis. Peyton Woods, a freshman from Albany, Louisiana, singled through the right side to lead off the inning. Salvaggio worked a walk, putting a pair on. Rosevear’s two-out single through the right side plated Woods. Billikens’ reliever Ethan Bell then proceeded to issue back-to-back walks to Haze and Thomas, forcing in Salvaggio.

Southeastern took the lead with two more runs in the eighth.

Williams led off the inning with a single through the right side. He scored from first on Salvaggio’s one-out double to left-center. Christian Garcia, who had entered the game in the top half of the inning as a defensive replacement in center, plated Salvaggio with the go-ahead run on a single up the middle.

Lakin Polk locked down the game in the ninth, fanning a pair of batters and stranding the potential tying run at second to end the game.

Dalton Aspholm (1-0), the third of four Lion pitchers used in the game, earned the win. He fired a pair of scoreless innings as Southeastern mounted its comeback, walking one and striking out three batters. Polk worked a scoreless ninth to earn his second save of the season.

Bell (0-1) suffered the loss, allowing four runs – all earned – in 2.1 innings of relief work. They were the first runs he has allowed this season in 6.2 innings coming into the game.

The Lions once again pounded out 12 hits. O’Neal (2-for-4), Rosevear (2-for-4), Williams (2-for-5) and Woods (2-for-5) all turned in multi-hit performances for Southeastern.

TICKET & PARKING INFORMATION
Single-game tickets are now on sale. Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance to minimize ticket lines on game days. Southeastern students are encouraged to contact the ticket office before the game to reserve theirs in advance.

General admission tickets for most games are $11 for adults and $8 for youth (ages 3-12). Southeastern students, with a university ID, and children under age 2 are admitted for free. Gameday parking is $5 per day for standard vehicles and $25 for RVs.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.LionSports.net/Tickets or by contacting the Southeastern Athletics Ticket Office at (985) 549-5466. Office hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Fridays. The ticket booth at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field opens exactly one hour before the scheduled first pitch.

Southeastern uses mobile ticketing as the primary method for distributing tickets purchased online. Tickets will be available via text message or email in a PDF format for fans to download on their phone or print at home. Tickets can also be downloaded to Apple Wallet.

CLEAR BAG POLICY
Southeastern Athletics enforces a clear bag policy for all ticketed events. The policy mirrors the safety precautions required for entrance to professional and collegiate sporting venues throughout the country. For more information on the clear bag policy, visit www.LionSports.net/Clear.

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.

LINE SCORES
Southeastern 10, Saint Louis 8 (Mar 16, 2024 at Hammond, LA) (Game 1)
———————————————————————-
Saint Louis ………. 001 230 002 – 8 13 0 (15-2)
Southeastern …….. 121 320 10X – 10 12 1 (13-6)
———————————————————————-
Pitchers: Saint Louis – Holmes, Jackson; Weber, Jack (4); Litman, Henry (4); Bolinger, Will (7); Kelly, Owen (7) and Preston, Knox. Southeastern – Stuprich, Brennan; Bennett, Levi (5); Rodriguez, Jackson (9) and Sorensen, Bailyn.

Win-Bennett, Levi (1-0) Save-Rodriguez, Jackson (4) Loss-Holmes, Jackson (4-1) T-2:34 A-1332
HR STL – Clohisy, Patrick (5).
HR SLU – Brome, Ryan (1); Salvaggio, TJ (3); Williams, Justin (3).
Weather: 76 Partly Cloudy, E 1 mph
HOLMES faced 1 batter in the 4th.
BOLINGER faced 3 batters in the 7th.

Southeastern 9, Saint Louis 8 (Mar 16, 2024 at Hammond, LA) (Game 2)
———————————————————————-
Saint Louis ………. 100 313 000 – 8 14 0 (15-3)
Southeastern …….. 011 201 22X – 9 12 1 (14-6)
———————————————————————-
Pitchers: Saint Louis – Weber, Charlie; Richter, Easton (4); Bell, Ethan (6); Gray, Evan (8) and Gallaher, Ben.
Southeastern – Lee, Dakota; Lauve, Lance (5); Aspholm, Dalton (7); Polk, Lakin (9) and O’Neal, Conner.

Win-Aspholm, Dalton (1-0) Save-Polk, Lakin (2) Loss-Bell, Ethan (0-1) T-3:04 A-1238
HR STL – Moore, Hayden (5).
HR SLU – O’Neal, Conner (1).
Weather: 78 Partly Cloudy, SSE 1 mph