BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University Cardinals open a five-game road swing when they travel to Southeastern Louisiana for a three-game Southland Conference softball series this weekend. The Cardinals (17-15 overall, 8-1 SLC) face the Lady Lions (14-18, 3-6) in a doubleheader at 4 p.m. Friday and a single game at noon Saturday.
 
The Cardinals come into the weekend riding the momentum of a doubleheader sweep of visiting Alcorn State in non-conference action Tuesday. LU rallied from a 7-2 deficit in the sixth inning for an 8-7 win in the opener before posting a 9-1 win in five innings in the second game.
 
"I think that first game was an eye-opener for us," LU coach Holly Bruder said. "It was a lack of focus early on. We weren't playing well and we made five errors. We found a way to win, and we played a much better game in the second contest. Hopefully, it was a lesson learned."
 
LU center fielder Brittany Rodriguez leads the Southland Conference with a .429 batting average. Catcher Brynn Baca is hitting .341 with one home run and a team-best 20 RBIs. Baca has reached base safely in 24 straight games, two shy of the school record set by Rodriguez last season.
 
Keeping the Lady Lions off the bases is what Bruder feels her team needs to do to be successful this weekend. Southeastern Louisiana leads the conference with 89 stolen bases. The Lady Lions have stolen 20 bases in 23 attempts in conference play.
 
"They're going to challenge our infield. They are going to run every chance they get. They are going to slap and bunt. That's something we've been working on in practice," Bruder said. "We can't afford to give them free bases and we have to cut down on our errors."
 
Southeastern Louisiana's Jacquelyn Ramon is 28-of-28 in stolen-base attempts this season, including 7-of-7 in SLC action. Teammate Maddie Edmonston has stolen 22 bases in 23 attempts this season, including a perfect 6-of-6 in conference play.  However, Edmonston is hitting just .148 in conference play, while Ramon Is batting .091.
 
Senior right-hander Ciara Luna (5-9, 3.22) and junior righty Laura Napoli (8-6, 3.45) are LU's likely starters this weekend. Southeastern Louisiana has used three starters in each conference series this season. Junior right-hander Rachel Hayes (5-6, 3.05) has started the first game of each series, followed by junior righty Lacey Hill (6-6, 2.82) and sophomore right-hander Caitlyn VanHemelryck (0-2, 4.20).  Southeastern Louisiana coach Rick Fremin isn't afraid to use his bullpen, as Hill and Hayes have just one complete game each in SLC play.
 
UP NEXT: Following this weekend, the Cardinals have a non-conference doubleheader at Houston at 4 p.m. Tuesday. After that, LU opens a seven-game homestand starting with a three-game conference series vs. Sam Houston State. The Bearkats come to Beaumont for a 4 p.m. doubleheader on April 7 followed by a single game at 3 p.m. April 8.
 
STANDINGS: The Cardinals are in a three-way tie for second place in the conference with Nicholls and Abilene Christian at 8-1. McNeese leads the SLC with a 9-0 record. Southeastern Louisiana is in a three-way tie for seventh, six games behind McNeese.
 
ALL-TIME SERIES: LU has an 8-5 edge in the all-time series with Southeastern Louisiana. The Cardinals have won the last four meetings, sweeping the Lady Lions at home last season after defeating them in the first round of the 2015 Southland Conference Tournament. LU is 0-3 all-time at Southeastern Louisiana's North Oak Park, having been swept there in the 2015 regular season.
 
TICKETS: For tickets to 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.