HUNTSVILLE, Texas – The Lamar University Cardinals pounded out 26 hits on Friday, including a season-high 17 in the nightcap of a doubleheader sweep of the host Sam Houston State Bearkats by scores of 6-1 and 10-5 in Southland Conference softball action. The Cardinals hit four home runs on the day, including one in each game by Shelby Henderson.
 
"I was very, very, very impressed with what our hitters did today," LU coach Holly Bruder said. "Getting 17 hits in a conference game is tremendous."
 
With the wins, the Cardinals improved to 22-17 overall and 8-6 in the Southland Conference, while Sam Houston State dropped to 13-26 overall and 5-9 in conference play.
 
"These wins were important to move ahead of Sam Houston in the standings," Bruder said. "Somebody has to move up in the standings and we need to do that before we play what are traditionally some of the best teams in the conference."
 
The Cardinals go for the series sweep at noon Saturday.
 
"We knew today was crucial, but we know that Saturday's game is also important," Bruder said.
   
Henderson, Kelly Meeuwsen and Kendall Talley all homered as the Cardinals pounded out five extra-base hits in support of Laura Napoli, who pitched a complete game for her 49^th career victory.
 
The Bearkats scored an unearned run in the first inning, but couldn't get to Napoli (10-8) after that. The senior right-hander scattered five hits and did not walk a batter while striking out one. Napoli threw just 85 pitches, 54 of them for strikes.
 
The Cardinals quickly responded in the top of the second as Talley opened the inning with a triple down the left-field line. Henderson followed with her fourth homer of the season, a two-run shot to left field to give the Cardinals the lead for good.
 
Meeuwsen homered to right field in the third to boost LU's lead to 3-1. The score stayed that way until the seventh when the Cardinals broke the game open with three runs. Meeuwsen hit a one-out single, her third hit of the game, and scored on Taylor Davis' double to center field. Kimberly Mattox pinch ran for Davis and was able to trot home on Talley's two-run blast to center field.
 
Talley and Henderson had two hits apiece for the Cardinals, who turned their conference-leading 20^th double play of the season in the seventh inning to help seal the win.
 
Sam Houston State starter Lindsey McLeod (9-9) took the loss in a complete-game effort. McLeod allowed nine hits and six runs, all earned. She walked four and struck out 12.
   
Henderson and Meeuwsen each had three hits in the game, with Henderson driving in four runs, as the Cardinals came within two hits of the school record for hits in a game. LU had 19 hits in a win at Incarnate Word last season.
 
LU scored three runs in the top of the first inning off Sam Houston State starter Darby Fitzpatrick (0-8). Davis and Talley had RBI hits in the frame for LU. The Cards made it 4-0 in the top of the second thanks to a Meeuwsen RBI double before Sam Houston State made things interesting with three runs in the bottom of the second off LU starter Taylor Gruell. Sheridan Fisher had an RBI single before Katie Andre launched a two-run home run to left-center.
 
The Cards quickly replied in the third with three runs. Talley and Henderson opened the inning with back-to-back doubles. Maddy Myers later had an RBI single before Savana Guidry drove in a run with a sacrifice fly to push LU's lead to 7-3.
 
The Bearkats got right back in the game in the bottom of the third on a one-out, two-run home run by Tiffany Thompson that made it 7-5 and ended Gruell's day. LU reliever Anissa Rodriguez (1-1) came in and pitched 2 1/3 innings of hitless, scoreless relief to put an end to the Bearkats' threat.
 
"Anissa has had good practice sessions lately, and she earned the chance to pitch," Bruder said. "She did a great job today."
 
The Cardinals increased their lead to 9-5 in the fourth on Henderson's two-run homer to center. Sam Houston State had one last gasp in the bottom of the fifth, putting runners on second and third with two outs before Napoli came on in relief to get the final out of the inning.
 
LU added an insurance run in the sixth on Henderson's RBI double. After that, Napoli shut the door to pick up her fourth save of the season and 11^th of her career. Napoli allowed two hits, while walking one and striking out one over the final 2 1/3 innings.
 
"Laura had a stellar day," Bruder said. "I don't think it was her best skill day, but she competed today. She wanted the ball and showed some leadership."
 
NOTES: Guidry had one hit in each game to extend her hitting streak to 13 games, the third-best streak in program history. Stephanie Meeuwsen had a 14-game streak in 2015, while Brittany Rodriguez holds the school mark with a 20-game streak in 2016 … Henderson tied a school record with 16 putouts in the first game ... Thr first baseman had 26 putouts in the doubleheader ... LU's three home runs in the first game marked the 11^th time in program history that the Cardinals have hit three HRs in one game. The school record is four, set last season at Incarnate Word … LU enters Saturday tied with Stephen F. Austin and Southeastern Louisiana for fifth place in the conference, one game ahead of Abilene Christian.
 
ON DECK: Following Saturday's game at Sam Houston State, the Cardinals host the Houston Cougars in a non-conference doubleheader at 4 p.m. Wednesday before playing a three-game conference series at Central Arkansas next weekend.
 
TICKETS: For tickets to all LU home games, 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.