Now that the academic year is over, and before we begin the 2019-20 season, LamarCardinals.com wanted to take a look back at what we felt were the Top 25 Moments of the 2018-19 season. The top 25 list was voted on by a panel of 15 members of the LU senior and external staff.
 
No. 17
BEAUMONT, Texas – In late April, the Lamar University softball team opened a critical Southland Conference series against Northwestern State. LU's head coach Amy Hooks spent six years at NSU prior to being named the Cards coach last June.
 
Facing her former employer, Hooks and the Cards came out and won two of three games, taking the series. In the first game of the series, Lamar came out in the bottom of the frame and scored four runs. Shannon Klaus reached on an error and Savana Guidry followed with a bunt single. After a sac bunt moved them into scoring position, Jade Lewis was hit by a pitch, which loaded the bases.
 
Kimberly Mattox came to the plate and drew a bases loaded walk scoring the first run of the game. Kelly Meeuwsen followed with a single through the right side of the infield that scored two runs. Following Meeuwsen, Taylor Murphy recorded an RBI ground out for the fourth run of the game for LU.
 
LU needed three outs to close out the game and Ruiz came out dealing as she retired the Lady Demons in order. LU came away with a 4-3 victory over Northwestern State. Ruiz picked up the win for LU as she pitched a complete game and limited the Lady Demons to four hits, 3 runs (0 earned runs) and recorded a career-high seven strikeouts.
 
After splitting the doubleheader on Friday, LU came back and won the series with a 5-0 victory on Saturday. Leading the Cards to the series victory was Aaliyah Ruiz. Ruiz pitched her second shutout of the season as the Lamar University softball team defeated Northwestern State, 5-0, in Southland Conference action. With the win, the Cards took the series over the Lady Demons.
 
The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the third inning. With one out, Maddy Myers drew a walk and Elizabeth Castillo was hit by a pitch putting two on for LU. Shannon Klaus followed with a single up the middle, which loaded the bases. Shaina Amir followed with a single through right side of the infield, which scored one. The Cardinals scored two on a fielder's choice and took a 3-0 lead over Northwestern State heading to the fourth inning.
 
Ruiz continued to deal in the top of the fourth inning. She retired the Lady Demons in order as she got two-line outs and a pop out to end the inning.
 
The Cards scored two more runs in the bottom of the fourth. With Kelly Meeuwsen on second, Victoria Garivey singled up the middle, which scored Meeuwsen. Myers and Castillo followed by getting hit by a pitch, which loaded the bases. The Cards scored its fifth run on a Lady Demons wild pitch and took a 5-0 lead into the fifth inning.

Continue to check back with LamarCardinals.com throughout the summer to see the rest of LU's 2018-19 Top 25 Moments.