Southeastern splits Saturday doubleheader at UNO, wins Pontchartrain Bowl for fourth time in five seasons

NEW ORLEANS – Southeastern Louisiana won the Pontchartrain Bowl trophy for the fourth time in five seasons, defeating New Orleans, 7-6, in the first game of a Southland Conference doubleheader Saturday before dropping the nightcap, 7-4, to the Privateers at Maestri Field.

Sponsored by local alumni of Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity, the rivalry trophy debuted in 2015. During the stretch, Southeastern has (16-16, 8-4 Southland) won 11-of-15 against the Privateers (16-16, 4-11 Southland) during the regular season.

The Lions pounded out double-digit hits in both games, but a season-high 11 walks in the nightcap haunted Southeastern pitching.

In the middle of a 14-game stretch against in-state competition, Southeastern returns to Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field this coming week to host Tulane and Northwestern State.

Tuesday’s 6 p.m. game against the Green Wave is Southeastern’s annual Pack the Pat promotion. The night will feature fireworks, free t-shirts and food for students (while supplies last), and a ticket special allowing fans the opportunity to purchase a pair of tickets for just $14. The game is also a Cane’s Challenge. If the Lions score five or more runs versus the Green Wave, fans can redeem their game ticket or student coupon at their local participating Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers to receive a free combo with the purchase of another of equal or greater value.

The weekend conference series against Northwestern State, April 12-14, features Super Lion Saturday, the annual baseball alumni reunion and another Local Hero Appreciation game.

GAME ONE – Southeastern 7, UNO 6

All seven Southeastern runs came with two outs in their respective innings, spreading the runs out over the first four innings of the game.

Kyle Schimpf, who picked up a career-high four hits in the opener, singled with two outs in the first inning and scored on Trey Harrington’s two-run home run to left field. The homer was the first of the season for Harrington. Following the homer, Brennan Breaud was hit by a pitch. Breaud went first-to-third on Nick Ray’s single down the right-field line and scored when the throw from the right fielder wound up loose on the infield.

Atoning for his throwing error, right fielder Pearce Howard hit a two-out solo home run to right field for the Privateers in the bottom of the inning off Lion starting pitcher Mason Knopp.

In the second, Cody Grosse pulled a two-out double to right. Preston Faulkner (RBI), Schimpf and Harrington (RBI) all followed with consecutive singles to plate a pair of runs and put Southeastern up, 5-1.

UNO pulled back within a run in the bottom of the inning on a three-run homer off the bat of third baseman Antonio Gauthier.

The Lions added single runs in the third and fourth. Ray doubled to lead off the third, scoring on Bryce Steckler’s two-out single to left. In the fourth, Schimpf scored from third base on Ray’s one-out sacrifice fly.

Southeastern pitching held down the Privateers until late with UNO scoring an unearned run in the seventh and picking up its final run in the eighth on a solo home run.

Knopp (3-1) earned the win, allowing four runs in five innings. He scattered five hits and two walks, striking out six. Jared Biddy worked the final two innings to pick up his fourth save. UNO starting pitcher Chris Turpin was tagged with the loss, allowing all seven runs in four innings pitched.

Schimpf (4-for-5), Ray (3-for-4) and Harrington (2-for-3) enjoyed multihit games for the Lions.

GAME TWO – UNO 7, Southeastern 4

The Privateers struck early in the nightcap, driving in three in the first. A leadoff single followed by back-to-back, one-out singles, a walk and another single set the tone for the game.

Lion starting pitcher Will Warren walked four batters in three innings as Southeastern pitching struggled with control issues through the game.

A three-run third allowed the Lions to tie up the game. Connor Manola drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on Nathan Pilutti’s single to left. Steckler sacrificed both runners into scoring position and Grosse drove them both home with single to left-center field. Grosse stole second base and scored on Faulkner’s single down the third-base line.

The game did not stay knotted long. UNO took the lead on an unearned run in the fourth and then added on two more in the fifth, regaining a three-run advantage.

Down 6-3, the Lions loaded the bases with one out in the sixth, chasing UNO starting pitcher Steven Swift from the game. Reliever John Barr hit Pilutti with his first pitch, forcing in a run. That was all Southeastern would get in the inning, leaving the bases loaded.

UNO pushed its lead back to three in the seventh with another unearned run.

Swift (1-1) earned the win, allowing four runs – three earned – in a career-high 5.1 innings pitched. Reeves Martin retired all three batters he faced in the ninth, fanning a pair, to pick up his eighth save. Warren (2-4) suffered the loss, allowing four runs – three earned – in three innings.

Lion pitching combined to walk a season-high 11 batters in the game, the most they have issued in a game since May 7, 2013, at South Alabama.

Faulkner, Grosse, Pilutti and Ray all picked up a pair of hits each for Southeastern in the nightcap.

INSIDE SOUTHEASTERN BASEBALL WITH MATT RISER

A weekly 60-minute radio show, Inside Southeastern Baseball with Matt Riser airs Mondays at noon, during the season, from Blackened Brew in downtown Hammond. Riser joins host Allen Waddell at lunchtime to discuss the latest in Southeastern baseball and will be joined each week by select Lion players. Blackened Brew is located at 112 W. Thomas St.

The show airs on the flagship station of the Southeastern Sports Radio Network, KSLU 90.9 FM, online at www.LionSports.net/listenlive and via the Lions Gameday Experience, Radio FX and TuneIn Radio apps. A live video stream of the show is also available via Facebook Live at www.facebook.com/sluathletics.

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.

LINESCORES

Southeastern 7, New Orleans 6 (Game 1)

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Southeastern……… 321 100 000 – 7 13 1 (16-15, 8-3 SLC)

New Orleans………. 130 000 110 – 6 7 2 (15-16, 3-11 SLC)

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Pitchers: Southeastern – Knopp, Mason; Shaffer, Trey (6); Biddy, Jared (8) and Manola, Connor. New Orleans – Turpin, Chris; Holstein, Bailey (5) and Tejeda, Jorge.

Win-Knopp, Mason (3-1) Save-Biddy, Jared (4) Loss-Turpin, Chris (3-2) T-2:53 A-315

HR SLU – Harrington, Trey.

HR UNO – Howard, Pearce; Iza, Salo; Gauthier, Antonio.

Weather: 80 Degrees and Cloudy

Knopp, M. faced 2 batters in the 6th.

New Orleans 7, Southeastern 4 (Game 2)

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Southeastern……… 003 001 000 – 4 10 2 (16-16, 8-4 SLC)

New Orleans……… 300 120 10X – 7 8 2 (16-16, 4-11 SLC)

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Pitchers: Southeastern – Warren, Will; Robinson, Payton (4); Tassin, Bryce (5); Granier, Kade (6); Zeppuhar, Zane (8); Upton, Grant (8) and Manola, Connor. New Orleans – Swift, Steven; Barr, John (6); Martin, Reeves (9) and Fabelo, Robert.

Win-Swift, Steven (1-1) Save-Martin, Reeves (8) Loss-Warren, Will (2-4) T-3:04 A-315

Weather: 82 and sunny

Warren, W. faced 1 batter in the 4th.

Zeppuhar, Z. faced 2 batters in the 8th.