BEAUMONT, Texas - Returning to Vincent-Beck Stadium for another weekend series, Lamar University baseball (3-2) will host two teams starting Friday in the 2019 Cardinal Classic. It's the fifth time in six years that Lamar has hosted the Cardinal Classic. Big Red holds a 9-6 record in the tournament since 2014.

This weekend's promotional schedule includes the following:

Friday
-2019 Team Poster giveaway
-Jr. Cardinals get in FREE with membership badge
-$1 Hotdogs + $2 Popcorn tubs all season long

Saturday
-2019 Team Poster giveaway
-Jr. Cardinals get in FREE with membership badge
-$1 Hotdogs + $2 Popcorn tubs all season long

Sunday
-2019 Team Poster giveaway
-Jr. Cardinals get in FREE with membership badge
-$1 Hotdogs + $2 Popcorn tubs all season long
-12 year olds and under get in FREE
-5Point Credit Union Post Game Run the Bases
-Inflatables for the kids

THE LAST TIME OUT - TULANE - FEB. 19 & 20
Striking first and leading through the first three innings, a few bad bounces paved the way for a strong Tulane University (4-0) team to jump on Lamar University (3-1). The Cards scored one in the first but were held off the board the rest of Tuesday night as Tulane won the game 9-1.

Over 350 pitches, 32 runs, 25 hits, 15 walks, and five hits-by-pitch took place in the three-and-a-half-hour slugfest in Greer Field at Turchin Stadium as Tulane (5-0) came out on top 22-10 over Lamar University (3-2) on Wednesday.

The Cards had 10 hits to score 10 runs, its highest offensive output of the year. Avery George went 2-for-3 in the game with three runs scored while drawing two walks, Logan LeJeune had a hit and three RBIs, Robin Adames collected two RBIs with a two-run homer, JC Correa collected his second solo homer of the year, and Cole Coker had a double and a solo homer. Cole Secrest and Anthony Quirion each had hits as well.

Cardinal Classic

Starters:
Friday - LHP Jason Blanchard (1-0, 1.50 ERA) vs. RHP Cameron Brown (1-0, 1.50 ERA) (Central Michigan)
Saturday - LHP Noah Sills (0-0, 1.59 ERA) vs. (Prairie View A&M)
Sunday - LHP Grason Wright (1-0, 3.60 ERA) vs. RHP Zach Kohn (1-0, 0.00 ERA) (Central Michigan)

Lamar vs. Central Michigan

Series Record
All-Time Series: First Meeting

Central Michigan comes into the weekend with a 2-2 record after splitting a four-game series at Troy. The Chippewas are in their first season under Jordan Bischel, who comes to CMU after four years and a 137-76 record at Northwood University.

CMU ranks among the top half of the MAC in every team statistical category including leading the league in walks drawn (21), doubles (seven), home runs (three), ERA (0.986), strikeouts-to-walks ratio (3.60), and walks allowed per nine innings (2.65).

Zach Gilles leads the team in batting average with an impressive .500 mark so far this season; he's got seven hits including a double and two RBIs. Zavier Warren paces the team in walks drawn with four in just four games, but Gilles, Evan Kratt, Zach Heeke, and Blake Cleveland all have three walks apiece. CMU is a team prone to strikeouts though with 41 on the year, an average of 10 per game.

Probable starters against Lamar include Zach Kohn and Cameron Brown. Kohn holds a 0.00 ERA through six innings of work with four strikeouts to two walks and three hits. Brown allowed one earned run in six innings for a 1.50 ERA with six strikeouts to four hits. Relievers Cameron Miller, Logan Buczkowski, and Grant Frazer all possess 0.00 ERAs as well.

Lamar vs. Prairie View A&M

Series Record
All-Time Series: Lamar leads 43-3
At Vincent-Beck Stadium: Lamar leads 32-1
At Tankersely Field: Lamar leads 11-2
At Neutral Site: N/A
Will Davis vs. Prairie View: 1-0
Auntwan Riggins vs. Lamar: 0-2
Last Meeting: March 14, 2017 (Lamar wins 15-7 in Beaumont, Texas)

Prairie View A&M was predicted to finish fourth of five teams in the Western Division of the Southwestern Athletic Conference. The Panthers are in their fourth year under head coach Auntwan Riggins, who is 45-112 in that time. PVAMU is 1-3 to start 2019 with a 10-3 win over Alcorn State, a 10-9 loss to Alabama State, and an 11-1 loss to Eastern Kentucky, all taking place at the Andre Dawson Classic. The Panthers then dropped a 9-1 result at Texas A&M on Wednesday.

The Panthers rank first in the SWAC in doubles (eight), second in overall hits (37), first in sac flies (four), and first in triples (three). Their team ERA of 6.81 is third in the SWAC, their 7.1 strikeouts per nine innings ranks seventh, and their 1.22 strikeout-to-walk ratio is fifth in the league.

Daniel Lingua leads the team in batting average (.500), doubles (two), on-base percentage (.588), and RBIs (five). Alex Martinez leads the SWAC in total hits with eight, and Xavier Jefferson has drawn four walks.

The 2019 Cardinal Classic begins Friday at 1 p.m. with Prairie View and Central Michigan, then Lamar plays host to CMU at 5. Prairie View and CMU meet again at noon on Saturday before PVAMU plays Lamar at 4, and Central Michigan and Lamar will close out the Cardinal Classic Sunday at 1 p.m.