Ray’s three homers power Lions past ACU in series opener

HAMMOND, La. – Southeastern Louisiana blasted four home runs, three of them off the bat of Nick Ray, running away with the series opener Friday, 14-1, against Abilene Christian at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.

The win was the third consecutive for Southeastern (9-12, 2-2 Southland) and marked the third-straight loss for the Wildcats (10-11, 3-4 Southland).

Ray entered the week tied with teammates Preston Faulkner and Nathan Pilutti for the team lead in home runs, but Faulkner took the lead by himself in Wednesday’s 13-3 trouncing of Alcorn State with his third of the season.

It did not take long for Ray and Pilutti to catch up. The pair blasted back-to-back solo home runs with two out in the second inning Friday, staking the Lions to an early 2-0 lead. It marks the second time this season Southeastern has hit back-to-back homers, with Faulkner and Kyle Schimpf also accomplishing the feat March 9 against Central Arkansas.

Abilene Christian cut the lead in half with a solo home run of their own off Corey Gaconi, with two outs in the top of the third, as shortstop Dalton Dunn picked up his third of the season.

Southeastern bounced back by manufacturing a run in the bottom of the inning, but the power display continued in the fourth.

Ray led off the long inning with a solo shot to left. Following the blast, the Lions poured on the offense. Pilutti singled to center. Connor Manola singled to right on a hit-and-run. Bryce Steckler laid down a squeeze bunt to plate Pilutti and beat it out for a single. Cody Grosse singled to load the bases. Faulkner fouled out before Schimpf lofted a sacrifice fly to right, driving home Manola. With runners on the corners, the Lions pulled off a double steal and Steckler scored on the play.

A two-run triple off the bat of Grosse in the fifth pushed Southeastern’s run total to double digits, 10-1.

In the eighth, pinch hitter Scottie Sanders ripped a one-out double down the left-field line to start the final run barrage of the night. After pinch hitter Eli Johnson worked a walk, Brennan Breaud ripped a run-scoring double inside the right-field line and Ray put the finishing touches on his night. The redshirt freshman from Jefferson, Louisiana, blasted a towering shot to left to clear the bases.

He is the first Lion to knock three home runs in a single game since Justin Boudreaux accomplished the same feat just over nine years ago, March 21, 2010, at McNeese.

Gaconi (2-2), who had suffered from a lack of run support his previous two starts, allowed just one run in six innings of work to earn the win. Abilene Christian starter Spencer Chirpich (3-2) suffered the loss, allowing eight runs in 3.2 innings pitched.

Ray (3-for-4), Grosse (3-for-5), Pilutti (2-for-4) and Steckler (2-for-4) each turned in multiple hits for the Lions.

The series continues Saturday at 2 p.m.

Neither team has announced a starting pitcher, but the game can be heard in the Hammond area on the flagship station of the Southeastern Sports Radio Network, KSLU 90.9 FM, online at www.LionSports.net/ListenLive and via both the Lions Gameday Experience and TuneIn Radio apps.

Fans can also keep up with all the action through streaming video ($), live statistics or by following @SLUathletics on Twitter. Web links to audio and video broadcast, stats, promotions and tickets are available on the baseball schedule page at www.LionSports.net.

TICKET INFORMATION
Single-game 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 5 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Fridays. The ticket booth at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field opens exactly one hour before first pitch.

General Admission tickets for Lion home games are $9 for adults and $6 for children (ages 3-12). Southeastern students are admitted free with a valid university ID card.

CLEAR BAG POLICY
Southeastern Athletics has instituted a clear bag policy for all ticketed events, effective with the start of the 2018 fall semester. The policy mirrors safety precautions taken upon entrance to professional and collegiate sporting venues throughout the country. For more information on the clear bag policy, visit www.LionSports.net/Clear.

LIONS GAMEDAY EXPERIENCE APP
The new Lions Gameday Experience app puts audio, stats, video, social media and more in the hands of fans. Those in attendance can also check in to earn reward points redeemable for Southeastern-related prizes. Available for both Android and iOS devices, it can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play.

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 visiting www.LionUp.com.

SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on Lions Baseball, follow @LionUpBaseball or @MattRiser17 on Twitter, @LionUpBaseball on Instagram and Facebook, and subscribe to the SLUathletics YouTube channel.

LINESCORE
Southeastern 14, Abilene Christian 1
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Abilene Christian….. 001 000 000 – 1 9 2 (10-11, 3-4 SLC)
Southeastern……….. 021 520 04X – 14 14 0 (9-12, 2-2 SLC)
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Pitchers: Abilene Christian – Chirpich, Spencer; Patterson, Logan (4); Smith, Zach (5); Geisel, Mark (8) and Bourland, Lane. Southeastern – Gaconi, Corey; Robinson, Payton (7); Tassin, Bryce (8); Hughes, Noah (9) and Manola, Connor; Pace, Evan.

Win-Gaconi (2-2) Loss-Chirpich (3-2) T-2:37 A-1201
HR ACU – Dunn, Dalton (3).
HR SLU – Ray, Nick 3 (5); Pilutti, Nathan (3).
Weather: Clear 74, S 6 MPH