Lions garner national attention in preseason polls - WAFB 9 News Baton Rouge, Louisiana News, Weather, Sports

From SLU Athletics

HAMMOND, La. – The Southeastern Louisiana University baseball team is turning heads as the 2013 season nears.

Receiving votes in two of the traditional, national preseason polls, the Lions are featured in the Top-50 by respected college-baseball blogger Eric Sorenson.

Southeastern is receiving votes in both the Collegiate Baseball magazine and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association preseason polls. Lion opponents LSU (CB 4/NCBWA 3) and Ole Miss (25/25) are ranked in the Top-25 while Alabama, Oral Roberts, Sam Houston State, South Alabama and Tulane are also receiving votes.

Sorenson, better known in the college baseball community as "Stitch Head", ranked the Lions 43rd for his blog College Baseball Today.

"Ack! The low-40s is precarious spot for mid-majors," Sorenson writes in the Easton-sponsored blog. "One bad weekend and they're off the radar in at-large-land. Though there is a lot of talent returning, SLU will have to find a replacement for 20-game saves leader Stefan Lopez. The best defense in the Southland will help."

A regular contributor to ESPN, Sorenson tabbed the Lions as the second-best team in the state of Louisiana and placed them at the head of the Southland Conference class.

Southeastern opens the season 2013 season, Feb. 15, at home against UT-Martin.

Individual and season tickets can be purchased by contacting Leslie Welsh in the Southeastern Athletic Ticket Office at (985) 549-5466 or 1-866-LION-TIX. The ticket office is located in Room 107 of the Dugas Center for Southeastern Athletics and is open Monday-Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. as well as Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.