First-Place SLU Hosts Lamar in Another Key Southland Series on Senior Weekend

HAMMOND, La. – The first-place Southeastern Louisiana University baseball team hosts Lamar in another key Southland Conference series this weekend at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.
 
Southeastern (33-12, 18-6 SLC) and fourth-place Lamar (36-12, 16-8 SLC) are separated by two games. McNeese (17-7 SLC) and UTRGV (19-8 SLC) are currently tied for second. The top two teams in the Southland regular-season standings will host their respective brackets in the opening rounds of the upcoming conference tournament.
 
With games scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday, 6 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday, the series will have a significant impact on the conference standings with two weekends remaining before the Southland Baseball Tournament. All three games of the weekend series will be carried on ESPN+.
 
Fans can listen to game broadcasts in the Hammond area on KSLU 90.9 The Lion. In addition, an audio stream is available online at www.LionSports.net/ListenLive and via the Lions Gameday Experience and MyTuner Radio apps. The MyTuner app is compatible with the Apple CarPlay software available in most late-model automobiles.
 
Live stats will be available in the Lions Gameday Experience app and online at www.LionSports.net.
 
To avoid any potential weather conflicts, this weekend’s senior ceremony has been pushed to Sunday and will take place 30 minutes before first pitch. Gates will open early Sunday in preparation for the ceremony.
 
Postgame fireworks are still slated for Friday’s game. Baseball bingo cards will be available for fans at Saturday’s game.
 
In addition to Senior Day, Sunday’s game is also Military Appreciation Day. Free general admission tickets to the game are available for active military members who present a valid service ID at the gate.
 
SLU looks to rebound from Tuesday’s loss at No. 2-ranked LSU and continue its winning ways in conference.
 
Hitting .298 as a team, the Lions rank 20th nationally with 73 home runs. The home run total is tied for the third-most in program history.
 
Southeastern also currently ranks third in the nation in both shutouts (7) and double plays turned (46) and sixth with a 3.53 staff ERA.
 
Dane Watts (.346, 6 HR, 32 RBI), TJ Salvaggio (.330, 11 HR, 40 RBI), Giovanni Licciardi (.321, 1 HR, 27 RBI) and Conner O’Neal (.297, 12 HR, 48 RBI) pace the SLU offense at the plate. Salvaggio enters the weekend in fourth place on SLU’s career home run chart (32), one back of Jeremy Gross (1997-98).
 
Right-hander Brennan Stuprich (9-2, 2.06) draws the starting nod for the Lions on the mound in the series opener. He ranks second nationally in wins, third in WHIP (0.85), fifth in strikeouts (98) and eighth in ERA. He will be opposed by Lamar junior right-hander Riely Hunsaker (2-2, 2.61).
 
Stuprich is also climbing the program’s career charts. The redshirt senior from Kenner, Louisiana is tied with Kenny Lehrmann (1976-78) for the most pitching victories (25) in program history, ranks second in strikeouts (268) and third in innings pitched (305.1 IP).
 
Saturday’s pitching matchup features junior right-hander Luke Lirette (4-2, 3.72) for SLU. The junior from Houma, Louisiana will counter Cardinal junior right-hander Chris Olivier (6-1, 3.02).
 
Blake Lobell (5-1, 4.02), a junior right-hander from Holden, Louisiana, earns the start on the mound for Southeastern in Sunday’s contest. Lamar has not announced a starting pitcher for the series finale.
 
The Cardinals are led at the plate by Damian Ruiz (.416, 7 HR, 40 RBI), Heladio Moreno (.356, 28 RBI), Zane Spinn (.332, 4 HR, 43 RBI), Tab Tracy (.320, 34 RBI) and Brayden Evans (.303, 8 HR, 49 RBI).
 

Lamar had its four-game winning streak snapped Tuesday in a 13-6 loss at Texas A&M.
 
UP NEXT
Southeastern wraps up the home portion of its regular season schedule Tuesday at 6 p.m., hosting South Alabama in a non-conference contest at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.
 
The game promotions include Youth Sports Night and a t-shirt giveaway. Youth sport teams, 8th grade and under, wearing their team jersey, get free admission. Children, aged 12 and under, will also be able to stand on the field with their favorite SLU Baseball Player during the National Anthem.
 
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 the 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.
 
OPPONENT | LOCATION
Lamar (36-12, 16-8 SLC) at Southeastern (33-12, 18-6 SLC)
Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field (Hammond, Louisiana)
 
DATES | TIMES | PROBABLE STARTERS
Friday, May 2 – 6 p.m. (CT)
LU – RHP Riely Hunsaker (2-2, 2.61) vs.
SLU – RHP Brennan Stuprich (9-2, 2.06)
 
Saturday, May 3 – 6 p.m. (CT)
LU – RHP Chris Olivier (6-1, 3.02) vs.
SLU – RHP Luke Lirette (4-2, 3.72)
 
Sunday, May 4 – 1 p.m. (CT)
LU – TBA (0-0, 0.00) vs.
SLU – RHP Blake Lobell (5-1, 4.02)
 
RADIO | VIDEO | INTERNET | MOBILE DEVICES
• Radio – KSLU 90.9 The Lion
• TV / Video – ESPN+
• www.LionSports.net – live stats, audio and video
• Lions Gameday Experience app
 
 
 

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