BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University softball team plays its fourth tournament in as many weekends when it competes at the Wooo Pig Classic that gets underway Friday at the University of Arkansas.
 
The Cardinals (5-10) are scheduled to play five games this weekend, starting with a meeting with IUPUI (4-11) at 12:30 p.m. Friday. LU will play two games against both Arkansas and Nebraska. The Cardinals will face the host Razorbacks (11-1) at 5:30 p.m. Friday and 5:30 p.m. Saturday. The contests with the Cornhuskers (2-10) are scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. Sunday.
 
LU went 3-2 this weekend at the Cardinal Classic, with wins over Alabama A&M, South Dakota State and Tulsa and one-run losses to Kansas and Tulsa. The Cardinals are 0-7 in one-run games this year.
 
"Some of these losses have been tough," LU coach Holly Bruder said. "We've had our chances. We're showing we can play with the big teams. We just have to find a way to win some of these."
 
LU center fielder Brittany Rodriguez leads the Cardinals with a .394 batting average and a .453 on-base percentage. The junior has reached base in 13 of LU's 15 games this season. Senior catcher Brynn Baca is hitting .349 with a team-leading 10 RBIs.
 
Senior right-hander Ciara Luna (1-7, 3.46) leads the team in ERA.  Luna picked up her first win of the season in Friday's 5-2 win over South Dakota State. She earned her second save of the season in Friday's victory over Alabama A&M. Junior right-hander Laura Napoli (3-3, 3.46) went 2-0 this past weekend.
 
The LU bullpen has been steady this season as Julia Voluntad, Anissa Rodriguez and Amie Cisneros have a combined ERA of 1.53 over 18 1/3 innings of work.
 
Both of LU's games against Arkansas will be shown online on the SEC Network Plus.
 
"This will be another tough test for us this weekend," Bruder said. "We scheduled some really good teams to help us get ready for conference play."
 
The Cardinals open their Southland Conference schedule when they host Northwestern State for three contests starting with a single game at 5 p.m. March 10 to start a seven-game homestand.
 
TICKETS: For tickets for all LU home games, call 409-880-1715, or CLICK HERE. Tickets are also available at the LU ticket office, located in the Montagne Center, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Tickets will be available at the ticket window at the LU Softball Complex starting one hour prior to first pitch.