The Matchup
Lafayette travels to Hammond, La. for the first time to take on Southeastern Louisiana University. The Leopards will have their hands full, as the Lions won the Southland Conference Championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament a season ago.

A Familiar Face
A.J. Miller '11 has returned to College Hill as the Leopards' skipper in 2023. Miller who is a 2011 Lafayette graduate was the 2011 Patriot League Player of the Year, a All-Patriot League First-Team selection and tied the Lafayette program record for home runs with 22. Miller was a Charles L. Albert '08 award recipient and received the Paul E. Koch '28 award during his time in Easton. After leaving College Hill, Miller went on to play professional baseball for the Normal Cornbelters of the Frontier League and the Lincoln Saltdogs of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball. He spent the previous seven years on the baseball staff at Lehigh University, holding titles of assistant coach, recruiting coordinator and associate head coach during his tenure.

The Leopards
Lafayette returns six starting positional players, led by Preseason All-Patriot League Second-Team selection senior Pete Ciuffreda, who led the team last year with a .330 batting average, along with 58 hits, 42 RBIs, five home runs and was second in the league with 22 stolen bases. Speedy centerfielder Justin Grech returns for his third season on College Hill. Grech was a 2021 All-Patriot League Second-Team selection and during his sophomore campaign in 2022 he batted .254 with 14 RBIs and 16 stolen bases. On the mound there will be plenty of new faces for Lafayette this year as the Leopards only return 116 innings from last year's squad. The starting rotation will be anchored by freshman Luke Craytor and sophomore Jack McMullen. Craytor, who will get the ball on Friday to start the season at Southeastern Louisiana, played scholastically last year at Western Albermarle High School in Crozet, Va., where he was a First Team All-Region and First Team All-District selection during his senior year. McMullen appeared in limited action last season, coming out of the bullpen for all of his 11 appearances. He pitched 11.2 innings, striking out 18, not allowing a hit in five of his 11 appearances while holding opponents to a .200 batting average.

The Opponent
The Lions return six starting positional players and their top four pitchers from last year. Southeastern Louisiana finished second in the regular season in the Southland Conference and won the Southland Conference title, defeating top-seeded McNeese State. The Lions are picked to finish second in the Southland this year. Shea Thomas is the top returning offensive weapon for the Lions, batting .288 in 2022, with 49 RBIs, while clubbing six home runs. Preseason First Team All-Southland selection Bryce Grizzaffi will be behind the dish for the Lions. Grizzaffi threw out 15-of-31 would-be base stealers last season, batting .219, with 21 RBIs and stealing 10 bases. On the mound, the Lions are led by two powerful arms. Brennan Stuprich and Will Kinzeler. Stuprich will get the ball to start the series for Southeastern Louisiana on Friday.  He was a 2021 First Team All-Southland Conference selection, but missed all of the 2022 season due to an injury. In 2021, Stuprich compiled a 6-3 record, with a 2.31 ERA in 81.2 innings, striking out 67 and holding opponents to a .224 batting average. Kinzeler was a First Team Preseason All-Southland conference selection and led the Lions' pitching staff with a 4-2 record in 80.0 innings, a 3.60 ERA while striking out 60.