BEAUMONT, Texas – Softball season is right around the corner, the Lamar University softball team took another step towards the beginning of the season with its first official practice of the season at the LU Softball Complex.
 
Lamar is under the direction of first year head coach Amy Hooks, who was hired as the head coach on June 20th. She came to the Lamar from Southland Conference foe, Northwestern State, where she was an assistant for six years.
 
"We are excited to get the season started. We put in a lot of hard work, in the weight room, classroom and on the field, to start preparing us for the upcoming season," remarked head coach Amy Hooks. "We are excited to see how all the hard work translates to the field this season. I am excited to see the team compete and all the hard work pay off."
 
The Cardinals have five seniors on the 2019 roster, Kelly Meeuwsen, Savana Guidry, Maddy Myers, Julia Voluntad and Taylor Davis.
 
"The experience of our senior class will help push the team," remarked Coach Hooks. "We do not have time to rebuild. We need to send the seniors out on a high note and our team has really bought into that. They know we are hitting the ground running and taking care of business. We are all excited about the season getting here. We have a fun team and they will be a fun group to watch as they grow on the field this season."
 
Returning for the Cardinals in 2019 is its middle infielders in Guidry and Meeuwsen. Last season, Guidry finished second on the team with a .351 batting average. She had 66 hits and drove in 19 during 2018. She had a .401 on-base percentage. Meeuwsen is a three-time All-Southland Conference selection, finished third on the team with a batting average of .328. She had a team-high eight home runs and drove in 32 runs while posting a .401 on-base percentage.
 
"I am excited that we return the middle infielders, shortstop and second base," stated Coach Hooks. "Our second baseman has been three-time All-SLC selection. These two will be the heart of the infield and I look for them to lead the younger players around them."
 
Davis appeared in 51 games while making 50 starts last year and hit .277 on the season. She had one home run and was third on the team with 22 RBIs. She led the Cards in on-base percentage (.430) and set a single-season Lamar record with 35 walks and had five multi-RBI games.
 
"Taylor Davis is a big boost to our lineup as she brings a big bat to the order and she has been an All-Conference player that returns," Coach Hooks said. "Our seniors have been the driving force of the team and are pushing the young players around them with it being their last ride and they want the most out of it."
 
Myers started 49 games and appeared in 51 last season. She had 24 hits, including one home run and drove in 17 runs on the season. Voluntad made ten appearances last year in the circle and posted a 3.15 ERA in 13 innings. She had a 1-0 record last season.
 
2019 Schedule
During the 2019 season, Lamar faces six teams, Wisconsin, LSU, Houston, Baylor, Texas State, and McNeese, that advanced to the NCAA Softball Regionals last season.
 
The Cardinals, who enter their seventh season of competition since LU revised the softball program in 2013, open the season on Feb. 8, when they face Wisconsin and Nebraska in the Scrap Yard Tournament in Houston.

LU opens the home slate on Friday, Feb. 22 when they host the fourth annual Cardinal Classic. The Cards open play against Rhode Island at 5 p.m. and followed by hosting Maine at 7:30 pm. Lamar will play the same two teams Saturday and close out the tournament against UTSA and Austin Peay.
 
The Cards open their Southland Conference schedule with two straight home weekends, facing Abilene Christian on March 8-9 and Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on March 15-16. LU's first road conference series is set for March 22-23 against Sam Houston State.
 
The complete 2019 schedule can be found by clicking here.