Hills Named to NCBWA Stopper of the Year Watch List

Junior RHP Dylan Hills has been named to the Preseason National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Watch List, as announced by the organization today.

Hills, who led the Lions in wins a year ago, finished the season with a 9-4 record and a 1.64 ERA.  The Ponchatoula, LA native recorded 51 strikeouts over 49.1 innings pitched, as he held opponents to a .181 batting average.

Sorenson Picks Lions as Top Cat in SLC

Eric Sorenson with College Baseball Today released his 2013 Southland Conference preview this morning.  And once again I will say his coverage of college baseball is the absolute best.  Stitch-Head is so in-depth with his previews, as he goes into all the details with every team, in every conference of Division I baseball.  Oh, and all of his content is FREE!

Hills Hymel Hernandez Named Preseason All-SLC

Dylan Hills, Jordan Hymel, and Ben Hernandez were each named to the 2013 Preseason All-Southland Conference team the league announced on Wednesday. Hills was named to the first team and Hymel and Hernandez were named to the second team.  The teams were voted on by the league's head coaches.

Lions Picked 2nd in SLC Preseason Polls

The SLU Lions were picked to finish 2nd by a vote of both the league's coaches and sports information directors in the 2013 Southland Conference preseason polls, which were released Wednesday.  Sam Houston State, the defending SLC champs, were picked to win the conference in both polls.  In the coaches' poll the Bearkats received the maximum nine first place votes and 81 points.  SLU picked up the final first place vote from the coaches and 68 points.

College Sports Madness Recognizes Three Lions

College Sports Madness has named three SLU Lions to their 2013 preseason All-Southland Conference Team, which was released earlier this week.  Named to the 2nd team were 2012 SLC Freshman of the Year Andro Cutura, RHP Dylan Hills and OF Harry Slade.

Southland Conference Celebrating 50 Years

This season the Southland Conference will be celebrating 50 years, as it was founded on March 15, 1963 at the Baker Hotel in Dallas, TX.  The conference will embark on a special commemoration of its 50th anniversary in 2013, as it celebrates a half century of academic achievement and competitive success.

Did You Know?

Did you know...As Jay Artigues enters his eighth season as the Lions skipper, his 240 wins ranks 9th on the Southland Conference All-Time Wins list.

Artigues, who is 240-164 in Hammond, can move into 6th place this season with 20 wins.  He would pass Smoke Laval of UL-Monroe (241), Tony Robichaux of McNeese State (244) and Lou St. Amant of UL-Monroe (260).

Texas-San Antonio's Sherman Corbett ranks 5th with 330 wins and the SLC All-Time leader is Lamar's Jim Gilligan with 1,196.  Only Gilligan is actively coaching in the SLC.

Cutura Named Freshmen All-American

Collegiate Baseball News named freshmen RHP Andro Cutura to the 2012 Louisville Slugger Freshmen All-American Team today.  Cutura, a Pearl River High (LA) product, finished the year with a 6-1 record and a 3.30 ERA, earning the Southland Conference Freshman of the Year.  In 12 starts Cutura recorded 38 strike outs while only allowing 16 walks over 76.1 innings pitched.

Cutura, who joins Stefan Lopez and Brock Hebert as 2012 All-Americans, becomes the 3rd Louisville Slugger Freshmen All-American in SLU history joining current Lion Jordan Hymel (2010) and former Lion Cass Hargis (2008).

2012 Louisville Slugger Freshmen All-American Team

Closing Time on Broadway

SLU All-American closer Stefan Lopez was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 16th round of the Major League Baseball draft this morning.  Lopez, who is the Lions and Southland Conference single season and career saves leader, led the country with 20 saves giving him 30 for his career.  The New Iberia, LA native finished the year with a 0.61 ERA to go along with 42 strike outs over 29.1 innings. 

Lopez was named the SLC Relief Pitcher of the Year and is a finalist for the NCBWA Stopper of the Year.

Mariners Select Hebert in 14th Round

Brock Hebert , the 2012 Southland Conference Player of the Year, was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 14th round of the 2012 Major League Draft on Tuesday evening.  The South Terrebonne High product lead the SLC in hitting (.374), runs scored (58), and ranked 5th nationally in steals with 36.  Hebert was the 3rd pick of the 14th round and the 431st overall selection.

Seattle's selection of Hebert marks the 9th consecutive season a Southeastern player has been selected in the MLB Draft.

Lopez Finalist for Stopper of the Year

Junior closer Stefan Lopez has been named one of five finalist for National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Stopper of the Year Award.  Lopez, the nation's saves leader, set the SLU and Southland Conference single season saves record with 20 saves this season to go along with a 0.61 ERA.  The New Iberia native, LA native recorded 42 strike outs with only five walks allowed over 29.1 innings.  His 30 career saves ranks as the most in SLC History, as he was named the 2012 SLC Relief Pitcher of the Year and Louisville Slugger All-American.

Lopez & Hebert Named All-Americans

Collegiate Baseball News named juniors Stefan Lopez and Brock Hebert to the 2012 Louisville Slugger All-American teams on Thursday. 

Lopez was named 2nd team All-American after leading the nation in saves with 20 and becoming both the program and Southland Conference All-Time career saves leader with 30.  The New Iberia, LA native finished the season with a 0.61 ERA and 42 strikeouts over 29.1 innings, earning the SLC Relief Pitcher of the Year.

Lions Place 7 on All-Conference Teams

The SLU Lions grabbed a league high three spots on the 1st team All-Southland Conference team as junior 2B Brock Hebert, senior 1B Jonathan Pace, and junior closer Stefan Lopez were named to the squad.  Senior OF Cody Gougler was named 3rd team All-Southland Conference. 

Junior OF Harry Slade, freshmen pitcher Andro Cutura, and sophomore pitcher Dylan Hills were named honorable mention All-Southland Conference.

2012 All-Southland Conference Teams 

Hebert, Lopez, Cutura Voted SLC Best

It has been a historical day in the way of post-season awards for the SLU Lions baseball program.  Junior 2B Brock Hebert has been named the Southland Conference Player of the Year, as well as the SLC Hitter of the Year.  Junior closer Stefan Lopez has been named the SLC Relief Pitcher of the Year and freshmen RHP Andro Cutura has been named the league's Freshman of the Year.  This marks the first time that a Lion has earned any of the SLC Player of the Year honors.

SLC Tournament Headquarters

Here is the link to all of your 2012 Southland Conference tournament information.  The tournament, being played on the campus of Texas State in San Marcos, TX, begins Wednesday and runs through Saturday.  All games are being streamed lived on SLC NOW and the championship game can be seen on ESPN3.

2012 Southland Conference Tournament Info

Lions Take Series From Cowboys, Lock Up #2 Seed

After losing the opening game of their series with McNeese State 8-6 the Lions bounced back nicely winning the final two games 12-2 and 9-5 to win the series.  With the series win SLU locked up the number two seed in this week's Southland Conference tournament on the campus of Texas State in San Marcos, TX.  The Lions finished the regular season 36-19 overall and 20-13 in the SLC.  The 36 wins marks the 6th straight year the Lions have won 32 or more games and the 4th straight year they have won 35 or more games.

Hymel Named SLC Pitcher of the Week

The Southland Conference named junior LHP Jordan Hymel as the Pitcher of the Week after his performance against the McNeese State Cowboys over the weekend.  Hymel tossed seven innings, giving up one run on seven hits and fanning five Cowboys in the Lions 12-2 win on Friday night.  After giving up one run in the first inning Hymel threw six scoreless innings and held McNeese hitless over his final three innings.

Alex Marse was recognized as honorable mention Hitter of the Week as the junior OF went 6-10 with 4 RBI's in the Lions series win over McNeese State.

Southland Conference Players of the Week

Lions Drop Series to Sam Houston

The SLU Lions dropped a heartbreaking series to Southland Conference leader Sam Houston State over the weekend.  With one weekend left to play the Lions, who are 34-18 overall and 18-12 in the SLC, are one game up on Texas State in the league standings.  SLU swept Texas State earlier in the season.  With the series win Sam Houston clinched the number one seed in the conference tournament.

Walk-Off Win Clinches Series for the Lions

Junior OF Alex Marse hit a bases loaded sacrifice fly in the bottom of the ninth to give the SLU Lions a huge walk-off series clinching win over Stephen F. Austin at The Pat on Sunday afternoon.  The 12-11 victory over the Lumberjacks moves the Lions to 33-16 overall and 17-10 in the Southland Conference.  The Lions win, coupled with Sam Houston's loss to Texas-Arlington, moves SLU within three games of the Bearkats in the league standings, as they head to Huntsville this weekend.

Lopez Ties SLC Record as Lions Beat USA

In their 8th straight road game the Lions beat South Alabama 6-3 on Tuesday night to move to 31-15 on the season and Stefan Lopez tied the Southland Conference career saves record picking up career save number 27.  SLU had a strong finish on the road trip coming away with a 5-3 record, as they beat the Jaguars for the 3rd straight time.