BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University Cardinals play their first conference home games of the season as they host Stephen F. Austin in a three-game Southland Conference series this weekend at the LU Softball Complex.
 
The Cardinals (17-12 overall, 3-3 Southland) and Ladyjacks (15-12, 3-3) play a doubleheader at 4 p.m. Friday before the series concludes with a single game at 2 p.m. Saturday. LU and SFA are in a three-way tie for sixth place in the 12-team league. All conference teams have 21 SLC games remaining. The top eight teams qualify for the Southland Conference Tournament.
 
"Even though it's early in the season, I think this is a must-win series," LU coach Holly Bruder said. "Our goal is to win every series, but it's especially important to beat the teams you are battling with for a spot in the tournament."
 
This weekend marks the first time since LU revived the softball program in 2013 that the Cardinals will host the Ladyjacks. LU is 4-6 against SFA in the modern era, going 3-6 in games played at SFA. LU also claimed a win over SFA in the 2016 Southland Conference Tournament at McNeese. Dating back to when LU had softball from 1983-87, the Cardinals are 10-14 all-time vs. SFA.
 
"We have developed a rivalry with them. They are a very tough team to play," Bruder said of the Ladyjacks. "They are a physical team. They play hard from the first pitch."
 
The Cardinals bring a season-best six-game winning streak into the weekend. LU started the streak with a 3-2 walk-off win over Eastern Kentucky before sweeping a three-game conference set at HBU. LU comes off a doubleheader sweep of Dartmouth on Tuesday, as Taylor Gruell and Laura Napoli threw back-to-back three-hit shutouts. It's just the second time in the modern era that LU posted shutouts in both ends of a doubleheader.
 
Gruell (6-2, 3.20), a freshman right-hander, and Napoli (7-7, 3.44), a senior right-hander, are LU's probable starters this weekend. They will face an SFA offense that is averaging 4.78 runs per game. SFA offense is led by freshman Bryana Novegil, who leads the SLC with a .493 batting average. Amber Landry is hitting .326 with seven home runs and 25 RBIs. Taylor Fraccastoro has a team-leading 27 RBIs for SFA.
 
"Our pitching has been tremendous during this streak, but so has our defense," Bruder said. "SFA is a good offensive team, so our pitchers will have a tough task this weekend. We'll also need our defense to come up with some big plays."
 
Junior shortstop Savana Guidry leads the Cardinals with a .362 batting average. Designated player Taylor Davis is batting .328 and leads LU with a .506 on-base percentage. Davis has reached base safely in 18 straight games. Second baseman Kelly Meeuwsen is batting .319 while leading the team with five home runs and 20 RBIs.
 
Senior right-hander Makayla Sykes (8-5, 2.77) has stated 12 games for the Ladyjacks this season. Calley Guffey (4-5, 3.84) and Clarissa Hernandez (1-1, 2.42) are SFA's other probable starters.
 
All three games will be streamed online at Facebook Live.
 
PROMOTIONS: Fans attending Friday's game will receive phone pop sockets while supplies last. Saturday is Camper Reunion Day with all youths who attended last year's LU softball camps receiving free admission when they wear their camp T-shirt to the game. There will be a postgame autograph session with all members of the team.
 
FORECAST: Friday's doubleheader should begin under mostly cloudy skies with a temperature of 77 degrees. Winds will be out of the south at almost 20 mph. Saturday's game will be played under cloudy skies, with a high temperature of 79. Winds will be out of the south-southwest at 10-20 mph.
 
ON DECK: LU is at No. 11 Texas A&M for a non-conference game at 5 p.m. Wednesday before hosting Southeastern Louisiana in a three-game conference series next weekend with a doubleheader at 4 p.m. March 30 and a single game at 3 p.m. March 31.
 
TICKETS: For 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.