HAMMOND, La. — Nicholls’ six-run first inning proved too much for the Southeastern Louisiana University baseball team to overcome Sunday in a 10-7 loss to the Colonels in Southland Conference play at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.
Southeastern (8-16, 0-3 SLC) knocked a few runs off the deficit in the second.
Shea Thomas led off the inning with a single to right field and scored on Pierce Leavengood’s double off the left-field wall. After being sacrificed to third, Leavengood scored on Connor Manola’s groundout.
Nicholls (13-9, 3-0 SLC) extended their lead in the fourth on an RBI double. On the play, right fielder Bryce Grizzaffi hooked up with Evan Keller for a relay to the plate in time to nab a second runner attempting to score.
Back-to-back home runs in the fifth pulled the Lions within two, 7-5. Keller drew a one-out walk, scoring on Tyler Finke’s second home run of the season. Preston Faulkner backed it up with a solo shot to left-center field.
Faulkner’s homer was his fifth of the season and 25th of his career, tying him for 10th on Southeastern’s all-time home run list with Justin Boudreaux and Carson Crites.
The Colonels answered immediately, hitting two of the first three pitches reliever Christian Westcott threw in the sixth out of the ballpark for solo home runs. A sac fly in the eighth put Nicholls up, 10-5.
SLU refused to go quietly, picking up a pair of runs in the ninth.
Pinch-hitter Champ Artigues drew a walk to open up the inning. One out later, Keller drew a walk. With two down, Faulkner doubled into the gap in left-center to bring home both Artigues and Keller.
Nicholls starting pitcher Nick Heckman (1-1) earned the win, allowing five runs in five innings pitched. He allowed four hits, one walk and hit a pair of batters, striking out two. Devin Desandro earned his first save of the season, recording the final out of the game. Hayden Robb (0-3) suffered the loss after being knocked out of the game in the first inning, allowing six runs – five earned – while recording one out.
Rhett Rosevear, who entered the weekend leading the nation in HBPs, was hit by a pitch in each of his first two plate appearances Sunday. He has now been hit by a pitch 17 times this season and 31 times in his career, moving him into 10th place on SLU’s all-time list and into a tie for seventh place on the program’s single-season list with Brandon Street (2009).
With the loss, the Lions have now dropped seven consecutive games. It is the program’s longest skid since losing seven-straight games near the end of the 2004 season (May 15-21).
RADIO SHOW
The next episode of Inside Southeastern Baseball with Matt Riser, presented by Pour House Pizza and Beer Garden, is slated for Monday at 12 p.m. from the restaurant in downtown Hammond. Fans can listen to every show online at www.LionSports.net/ListenLive and via the Lions Gameday Experience, MyTuner Radio or Mixlr apps. The MyTuner Radio app is compatible with the Apple CarPlay software available in most newer automobiles.
UP NEXT
Southeastern wraps up a four-game homestand Tuesday at 6 p.m. against UL Lafayette for the annual Pack the Pat game. The first 300 SLU students through the gates will receive a free Hammond, America T-shirt and food.
TICKET & PARKING INFORMATION
Single-game tickets are on sale for the remainder of the regular season. Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance to minimize ticket lines on game days. Southeastern students are encouraged to contact the ticket office prior to the game to reserve theirs in advance.
General admission tickets are $9 for adults and $6 for youth (ages 3-12). Southeastern students, with a university ID, and children under age 2 are admitted 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 prior to 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 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.
LIONS GAMEDAY EXPERIENCE APP
The 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 or by following the link www.LionSports.net/App.
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.
LINE SCORE
Nicholls 10, Southeastern 7 (Mar 27, 2022 at Hammond, La.)
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Nicholls ………… 600 102 010 – 10 15 1 (13-9, 3-0 SLC)
Southeastern ….. 020 030 002 – 7 7 1 (8-16, 0-3 SLC)
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Pitchers: Nicholls – Heckman, Nick; Saltaformaggio, Nico (6); Evans, Cade (9); Desandro, Devin (9) and Collura, Jaden. Southeastern – Robb, Hayden; Dugas, Daniel (1); Westcott, Christian (5); Reynolds, Reid (6); Landry, Andrew (7); Trahan, Gage (8) and Manola, Connor.
Win-Heckman, Nick (1-1) Save-Desandro, Devin (1) Loss-Robb, Hayden (0-3) T-3:14 A-1229
HR NICH – Alvarez, Edgar (4); Paz, Alec (4).
HR SLU – Finke, Tyler (2); Faulkner, Preston (5).
Weather: 79 Sunny, SW 6 mph
Westcott, C. faced 3 batters in the 6th.
{Courtesy: Southeastern Athletics}