SFA (11-7; 4-2) vs. Southeastern Louisiana (9-8; 2-1)

WHEN: Mar. 13; 6:00 P.M./Mar. 14; 2:00 P.M./Mar. 15; 1:00 P.M.
WHERE: Hammond, Louisiana (Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field)
TV: ESPN+

1st Place Southland Conference Showdown with SFA on the road in Hammond to take on the defending SLC Champions Southeastern Louisiana Lions.

The Lions have dominated this series 33-11 overall, includes 11-4 at home, and 8 straight victories against the Jacks.

Key hitters for SFA include Julian Swift (.389), Jhett Creel (.379), and Ethan Pena (.368), who have been instrumental in keeping the Lumberjacks near the top of the conference standings. 1st Baseman Mark Henning has be hot of late, with back to back games with a HR, and has moved into second on the team with 19 runs and 3rd in RBI's at 15.

SLU is coming off a 10-3 loss to South Alabama on Wednesday, which snapped a five-game winning streak. Despite the midweek loss, SLU is dangerous at home and is led at the plate by Giovanni Licciardi (.339) and Ben Robichaux (.339).

Both bullpens will be tested following midweek games against high-major opponents.

Look for SFA pitching ace Cody Templeton to take the mound today posting an ERA of 2.86 with 2 wins, no loses, 1.36 WHIP, team leading 23 K's in 22 innings of pitching.

SLU will go with the Blake Lobell, Lakin Polk, and Brady St. Pierre rotation.

The Jacks are going for their 5th straight conference series win dating back to last season, and I don't know the last time, if ever that SFA has won 5 straight conference series.

Axe'Em

My division one school SFA is in first place, but my JUCO division one school Northeast Texas is also in first place in Region 14 and 13-2 in their last 15 games including sweeps of Angelina, Tyler JC, and JUCO powerhouse and college world series finalist frequent flyer Dallas College Eastfield who is currently 1st in Region 5 with a 18-6 record (2 of those 6 loses to NTCC)

It has been awhile since NTCC has been on top.

Coach Morgan has got some dudes this season and I hope SFA is taking notice of the Dirty Birds.

in 17 starts OF Carson Umphres 6-6; 220 freshman from Great Bend, Kansas, (.290) 15 runs on 16 hits, 3 doubles, 5 HR's, 21 RBI's, .607 SLG% (1.038 OPS) also pitches (was the 5A pitcher of the year in Kansas his senior year), was originally committed to East Tennessee State.

In 22 starts Division I transfer (Little Rock) 1st baseman David Sorg 6-5; 230 sophomore (.250) 12 runs on 18 hits, 6 doubles, 2 HR's, 18 RBI's .411 SLG% (.800 OPS)

OF Joshua Staten 6-2; 200 sophomore (.240) 23 starts 23 runs on 18 hits, 7 doubles, 1 triple, 5 HR's, 21 RBI's, 7 SB, .553 SLG% (.890 OPS)

The team as a whole has 23 HR's 40 doubles, 5 triples, 147 RBI's (the lineup has a .480 SLG% average)

And pitching Tanner Webb 6-4; 230 freshman from Benton, Louisiana 4.21 ERA, 25.2 innings pitched team leading 36 K's, and Kaleb Kuhn 6-0; 190 sophomore from Columbus, Texas ERA 3.33, 27 innings (1 CG) pitched, 35 K's, 5-3 W-L combined, whole starting rotation 8-4

SLU having no problems with the Jacks, St. Pierrie in the zone with 9 K's and pitching a shutout (only 1 hit allowed) after 7 innings, Lions up 6-0.

Gabriel LeBlanc got the start for the Jacks went 4 innings gave up 5 runs off of 10 hits, 4 K's and walked 1. Brennan Greer in relief 1 K, 2 walks, 1 run off of 1 hit and 2 walks.

Charlie Feris now in

Lions put 2 more up with a 2 run homer, now 8-0 SLU in the bottom of the 7th.

SLU finally goes to their bull pen and #2 Ethan Adkisson (Sr.) gets a triple and then scores on #8 Rodrick Black (Sr.) ground out to 1st.

8-1 SLU

Double play for SFA!

Jacks down to their last 3 outs

Feris gets 2 K's, that's 7 for SFA pitching.

Creel, Swift, and Henning up

Creel strikes out, Swift doubles to right field, that just missed going over the wall.

Hennings goes down swinging (11th K for SLU)

Pena pops foul out, ball game

SLU takes game one 8-1 with a very impressive pitching display holding the Jack lineup to 3 hits.

SFA let one get away as SLU takes the series with an 8-7 win in game two ending the Lumberjacks conference series winning streak.

Cody Templeton got the start today going 5 innings giving up 5 runs on 9 hits, striking out 4, and walking 2.

SLU was up 4-0 in the 4th before SFA answered with 2 runs on an error sending the score to 4-2 in the 5th.

Jack James came in relief for 3 innings giving up 2 runs on 3 hits, striking out 4 and walking 1.

SLU extended the lead to 5-2 in the bottom of the 5th, when the SFA bats would come alive in the top of the 6th, exploding for 5 runs with a Pena HR and an Acreman 3 run blast. Bland drove another run across in the 7th putting SFA up 7-5 in the bottom of the 8th.

But SFA could not hold on for the win, as SLU answered with a two run homer to tie it up at 7 going into the 9th.

SFA got nothing going in the top of the 9th after Swift singled to start things off, only to see the next three batters pop out and it looked like extra innings where coming until SLU walked it off with a 1 run single with a runner at 2nd to win it 8-7.

The Jacks will look to salvage game three tomorrow to avoid the sweep.

Game 3‼️

🆚: Southeastern Louisiana
⏰: 1PM
🏟️: Alumni Field
📺: https://t.co/xcZiE0S3ni
⚾: https://t.co/oEqekWcwKX
📰: https://t.co/erQ37elyC3#AxeEm x #LogByLog pic.twitter.com/WAHW2K2u2e

— Lumberjack Baseball (@SFA_Baseball) March 15, 2026

SFA finally breaks through and gets a win over SLU in game 3 winning 3-2.

13 total K's and 7 scoreless innings for Mulcahy and Vidlak.

Dylan Mulcahy was good to go on the mound for the Jacks and was solid in 5 innings pitched giving up 2 runs on 6 hits, 6 K's and no walks.

Nate Vidlak in relief went the distance and was brilliant, giving up no runs on 2 hits in the remaining 4 innings striking out 7 on 16 batters faced, with 1 walk.

Ethan Pena with another multi-hit day with 2 (a double) and a run as well as Juan Cantua with 2 hits and a run driven in by Cermodrick Bland and Mark Henning.

SFA goes to 12-9; 5-4

The Jacks return now to the WAC with games @UTA, 3-game series at home against Tarleton State, and finally another home game against ACU.

SFA with the series win over the highest ranked team in the SLC.

PEARating Southland NET Ranking (Baseball):

1) Lamar - 95
2) Northwestern St - 106
3) UTRGV - 116
4) Southeastern - 135
5) HCU - 140
6) Nicholls - 141
7) SFA - 159
8) McNeese - 168
9) UIW - 171
10) Corpus Christi - 215
11) New Orleans - 248#SouthlandConference

— SLC Sports Report (@ReportSLC) March 16, 2026

Midweek Madness‼️

🆚: UT Arlington
⏰: 6 PM
🏟️: Clay Gould Ballpark
📺: https://t.co/xcZiE0S3ni
⚾: https://t.co/oEqekWcwKX
📰: https://t.co/erQ37elyC3#AxeEm x #LogByLog pic.twitter.com/Ndviplt5gy

— Lumberjack Baseball (@SFA_Baseball) March 17, 2026

SFA (12-9) vs. UTA (7-12)

WHEN: Mar. 17; 6:00 P.M.
WHERE: Arlington, Texas (Clay Gould Ballpark)
TV: ESPN+

Back in the WAC, well at least for the next several days as SFA is in Arlington to take on the Mavs of UTA.

UTA has played a brutal schedule and are 3-5 at home

0-3 Northwestern Sate
Upset #7 TCU
1-2 against Lamar
L Dallas Baptist
Upset #8 Arkansas in game one, 0-2 in the next two.
L Air Force
Series win against ULM 2-1
L #9 OU
Series win against #24 UTSA 2-1

UTA leads the overall series 27-22 having won 4 of the last meetings, and 8 of the last 10.

The Mavericks are coming off a big series win on the road over #24 UTSA.

UTA lineup is batting .254 through 19 games, with heavy hitters Xavier Melendez .369 leads the team in hits (31) and Austin Phillips .328 leading it off in the top of the order.

Their pitching staff is one of the best in avoiding the walk (3.95) per nine innings.

Caylon Dygert is their ace with a 0.96 ERA in 18.2 innings pitched, had 11 K's against #8 Arkansas earning him national pitcher of the week.

They have a great bull pen in Kyle Winkler, Merek Sears, and Hayes Melville that was very instrumental in their wins against #7 TCU, #8 Arkansas, and #24 UTSA. The pitching gets great support from a defense that ranks #15 nationally in double play turns (19 in 19 games)

SFA had one of the those outings against SLU in game three where the starter came out and laid the foundation down with 6 quality innings, and a single relief pitcher came in and closed the door. The Jacks have had a few of those, and if they can get more consistent in that system, look out.

Axe'Em

SFA improves to 13-9 with a win @UTA 4 to 1

Both teams pitch by committee, Jacks send 6 to the mound giving up only 1 run on 10 hits (UTA leaves 15 on base) 10 K's, and 5 walks.

Creel, Swift, and Henning have multiple hits in this one with 2 a piece, Swift with 2 RBI's.

It got interesting in the bottom of the 9th Valdez in the game for the Jacks, with the Mavs down to their final 3 outs, with their first at bat getting on base with an infield single, the second batter got on with an error in the infield, with the 3rd batter striking out, the 4th batter was down in the count 0-2 but battled back to get a walk loading up the bases with 1 out. Valdez gets the next batter with a K, Balmaceda comes in to throw 3 straight strikes to end it leaving the bases loaded, to get the save.

Good to see SFA battle through to win it in adversity like that.

Jacks return home for a nice long 8 game home stand starting with Tarleton.

Well that was impressive

TARLETON STATE DOMINATES #2 TEXAS 6-1 ON THE ROAD IN AUSTIN 🚨

They held the Longhorns to just 2 HITS. pic.twitter.com/LUILZ4IA7W

— College Baseball News (@CollegeBSBNews) March 18, 2026

LATER BOOMER ✌️🦁@LionUpBaseball SHUT OUTS No. 8 Oklahoma at the Pat to pick up a MASSIVE mid-week win! pic.twitter.com/Bqzcq5PVF2

— Southland Conference (@SouthlandSports) March 18, 2026

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SFA (13-9) vs. Tarleton (13-7)

WHEN: Mar. 20; 6:00 P.M./Mar. 21; 6:00 P.M./ Mar. 22; 1:00 P.M.
WHERE: Nacogdoches, Texas (Pilgrim's Park)
TV: ESPN+

Historical Rivalry: The teams have a tightly contested history, with SFA holding a slight 10-8 edge all-time against the Texans. However, Tarleton took the most recent series 2-1 in Nacogdoches in 2024.

The Texans' Momentum: Tarleton enters the series following the biggest win in program history, a 6-1 victory over No. 2 Texas in Austin this past Tuesday. They remain a perfect 5-0 in true road games this season.

Tarleton also has wins over Baylor, Creighton, and a 4-game sweep of New Mexico, but they are coming off a home series loss to HCU 2 games to 1.

The 'Jacks on the Hill: SFA brings a disciplined pitching staff that ranks second in the Southland Conference in strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.28). They are coming off a midweek road win against UT Arlington.

The Texans' lineup is batting .295 and it is stacked with Rayner Heinrich (.391) Slade McCloud (.377) Carson Lorch (.363) Kendyl Johnson (.333) and Brady Englett (.328)

SFA counters that, featuring a top-heavy lineup with four hitters currently maintaining averages above the .340 mark, Jhett Creel (.362) Julian Swift (.353) Ethan Pena (.341), and Juan Cantua (.340)

Game 1 probable pitching match up: Tarleton's RHP Cort Lowry (1-2, 2.60 ERA) vs. SFA's Cody Templeton, who leads the Lumberjacks' staff with 27 strikeouts.

Should be an exciting matchup!

Axe'Em

Back at home! See y'all at Pilgrim's Park tonight🪓⚾#AxeEm x #LogByLog pic.twitter.com/uoXrE2Cn62

— SFA Athletics (@SFA_Athletics) March 20, 2026