BEAUMONT, Texas – Southland Conference baseball starts this weekend with a storied rivalry. Lamar University (4-10) will host Sam Houston State (9-4) in a three-game series starting this Friday. The two teams have met 132 times so far, with the Bearkats leading 68-63-1 in the all-time series.

The Last Time Out – Rice
Four errors led to four unearned runs for Rice (6-7) in its 6-2 win over the Cards at Vincent-Beck Stadium on Wednesday. LU used eight pitchers in the matchup, and they combined for 12 hits to 10 strikeouts with just two earned runs. Lamar scored its first run when Logan LeJeune hit a one-out double and then advanced twice on wild pitches. Chase Whetsel scored the second Cardinal run in the eighth on his second homer of the past five days.

Lamar vs. Sam Houston State

Series Record

All-Time Series: Sam Houston State leads 68-63-1
At Lamar: Lamar leads 38-27
At Sam Houston State: Sam Houston State leads 35-22-1
At Neutral Site: Sam Houston State leads 6-3
Coach Davis against Sam Houston State: 1-2
Coach Deggs against Lamar: 6-2

Scheduled Starters:

Friday: RHP Jace Campbell (0-2, 4.72 ERA) vs. RHP Hayden Wesneski (1-1, 4.12 ERA)
Saturday: LHP Noah Sills (2-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. RHP Riley Gossett (1-0, 4.15 ERA)
Sunday: TBA vs. TBA

Coming off a two-game, mid-week sweep of Prairie View A&M in which the Bearkats outscored the Panthers 22-1 in Huntsville, Sam Houston State is 9-4 in its fifth season under Matt Deggs. Deggs has a 126-77 record as the skipper of the Bearkats, including two SLC tournament championships and three NCAA appearances.

As a team the Bearkats have the second-best batting average in the conference, .310, which ranks 26th in the NCAA. They've hit 25 doubles, four triples, and 13 homers this season out of 137 hits, which leads the SLC. Pitching is also a strength for SHSU; the Bearkats have a 3.38 ERA so far this season, fourth-best in the league.

Ben Haefner leads the Bearkats in batting average, hitting .414 on the year, and Hunter Hearn has a team-leading 18 hits this year, including an SLC-best four homers. Andrew Fregia is a danger on the base paths with five stolen bases.

Hayden Wesneski, Sam Houston's scheduled Friday starter, has one complete game on the year and is one of just four pitchers in the Southland to throw a complete game in 2018. Gabriel Sequeira has the sixth-best opponents' batting average in the league (.067), and Dakota Mills has struck out 19 batters, the seventh-best mark in the SLC.

News and Notes from Lamar

BIG RED HAS A BIG PRESENCE AMONG STATISTICAL LEADERS
Both as a team and as individuals, the Cardinals statistically are a remarkable team. LU's two shutouts this
season leads the country and is 14th in the nation, and Big Red's ERA of 3.00 is tops in the Southland.
 
The Cardinal defense has been deadly in double plays, ranking second in the league and seventh nationally
in total double plays this year with 15. Their average of 1.07 double plays turned per game is third among
Southland teams.
 
Noah Sills continues to impress in his debut season, maintaining a perfect 0.00 ERA with a perfect 2-0
record. The junior from Honolulu, Hawaii, has struck out 15 while allowing 14 hits and just two walks
through 18.2 innings pitched. He is the only qualifying pitcher in the Southland with an ERA of 0.00.

NEW PITCHERS, NO PROBLEMS
Five of LU's six starters so far this season are new to the team, including Noah Sills, Jack Dallas, Grason Wright, Jason Blanchard, and Taylor Rich. They've combined for a 2.17 ERA through 45.2 innings pitched, notching a 2-3 record in 11 appearances with 44 hits allowed and 39 strikeouts.