BEAUMONT, Texas – As Lamar University approaches the midway point of the 2021 season, the Cardinals get set to close their current eight-game road swing with four at Northwestern State. The road trip has been a positive one for the Red and White taking three of four last week at Houston Baptist. The Cardinals pounded out 40 runs to outscore HBU, 40-10, in the four games.
 
The Cardinals (13-9/5-7 Southland) head to Natchitoches, La. looking to continue their climb up the conference standings, but will have to do so against a very talented Northwestern State squad. Big Red enters the week 10^th in the league standings but just two games back of the eighth spot in the conference tournament.
 
The conference standings are so tight that three games separate the top eight teams. LU is just three games back of fifth-place Sam Houston State, and the league-leading Southeastern Louisiana Lions already have five conference losses on the year.
 
Northwestern State (13-13/7-5 SLC) enters the week in fourth place overall and has won four of their previous five outings, but that stretch comes on the heels of four consecutive losses.
 
The series will open Friday with a 6:30 p.m. first pitch, with Saturday's doubleheader slated for a 2 p.m. start. The two teams will close the series Sunday with a 1 p.m. game. All four games will be played at Brown-Stroud Field.
 
Northwestern State will send RHP Johnathan Harmon (1-2/3.47 ERA) to the mound Friday. They will throw LHP Cal Carver (3-2/2.33 ERA) in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader, followed by RHP Levi David (2-2/2.97 ERA) in the second game. NSU has not yet announced their starter for Sunday's series finale. The Cardinals will answer with RHP Trevin Michael (2-1/2.81 ERA) on Friday followed by RHP Josh Ekness (0-1/5.06 ERA) and RHP Zach Bravo (2-1/3.16 ERA) on Saturday. The Cards will close the series with LHP Dylan Johnson (1-1/1.83 ERA) on the mound.