BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University Cardinals look to post their longest winning streak of the season when they host the Dartmouth Big Green in a non-conference softball doubleheader at 4 p.m. Tuesday at the LU Softball Complex.
The Cardinals (15-12) are on a four-game winning streak for the third time this season. LU comes in off a three-game Southland Conference series sweep at Houston Baptist over the weekend. The winning streak started with a 3-2 come-from-behind win over Eastern Kentucky on March 13.
"I am proud of the way this team bounced back after getting swept at Northwestern State in our first conference series," LU coach
Holly Bruder said. "I was excited for our kids to see them respond the way they did."
The Cardinals erupted for 22 runs in the three-game sweep of the Huskies. The Cardinals scored seven runs on just four hits in each of the first two games of the series before pounding out 11 hits in Saturday's 8-2 win, highlighted by
Kelly Meeuwsen's three-hit performance that included two home runs and a double.
"We got timely hitting, which is something we've struggled with at times this season," Bruder said. "We found ways to get on base and then we had somebody come up with a clutch hit to bring the runners home."
LU's pitching has also flourished during the win streak. Senior right-hander
Laura Napoli (6-7, 3.76) and freshman righty
Taylor Gruell (5-2, 3.50) have each won two games during the streak. Napoli also picked up her third save of the season with three innings of no-hit shutout relief in Saturday's 8-2 win. Napoli came on in the fifth inning with the bases loaded and nobody out as LU held a 3-2 lead. Napoli kept the Huskies off the board as she recorded her 10
th career save, extending her school record.
"We've had some trouble closing out games in the past, but our relievers all did a good job at HBU," Bruder said. "
Amie Cisneros and
Erin Kyle each pitched a shutout inning on Friday, and Laura came up big on Saturday. That's a senior showing some leadership."
Shortstop
Savana Guidry leads the Cardinals with a .349 batting average. Guidry is hitting a sizzling .640 at home this season. Meeuwsen is batting .318 and leads LU with five home runs and 19 RBIs. Designated player
Taylor Davis, who is .310, has reached base safely in 16 straight games. Davis has team-best .500 on-base percentage.
Dartmouth (5-9), a member of the Ivy League, went 3-1 at the University of Houston's tournament this weekend. The Big Green swept two games from the host Cougars and split a pair of contests against Eastern Kentucky. Dartmouth has won four of its past five games.
"They beat a pretty good Houston team twice, so that tells me Dartmouth is a good team," Bruder said. "They're getting some good pitching and they're finding a way to score enough runs."
Micah Schroeder leads Dartmouth with a .341 batting average. Claire Bird (.321) is the only other Dartmouth player batting better than .300. Taylor Ward has posted team-best totals of two home runs and seven RBIs.
The Big Green will likely start a pair of right-handers on Tuesday in senior Shelby Wilkison (2-4, 2.71) and freshman Breanna Ethridge (0-4, 3.16).
PROMOTIONS: Fans attending the doubleheader can enjoy Two for Tuesday, with $2 hot dogs and $2 sodas.
FORECAST: The doubleheader should start under sunny skies with a temperature of 71 degrees. Winds will be out of the northwest at 14 mph. The temperature is expected to dip into the 60s by the time the doubleheader concludes.
ON DECK: LU plays its first home Southland Conference series of the season this weekend as Stephen F. Austin comes to town. The Cardinals and Ladyjacks play a doubleheader at 4 p.m. Friday and a single game at 2 p.m. Saturday.
TICKETS: For individual-game and season tickets, please call 409-880-1715, or
CLICK HERE. The Montagne Center ticket office is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. The ticket window at the LU Softball Complex will open one hour prior to first pitch on game days. LU students receive free admission to home games with their Cardinal One card, while Junior Cardinal Club members are admitted for free when they present their membership badge.
LU CARDINALS
