BEAUMONT, Texas – After winning their final two games in the series against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Lamar University heads to Abilene Christian looking to make it three in a row as the Cardinals open a four-game series against ACU. The Cardinals (19-15/11-13 Southland) enter the week in ninth place in the conference standings just two game back of Nicholls. Due to schedule changes brought on by the COVID pandemic, the eight-team field for the 2021 Southland Conference Championships will be determined by a point system (3 points for a win, 1 point for a conference game not played and 0 points for a loss). Under the current point system, LU trails Nicholls by two points for the final playoff spot with 12 games remaining.
 
Big Red has only dropped one conference series all season, but LU has only one series win – due in large part to last minute schedule changes. Heading into this past Saturday, the Cardinals had played five consecutive doubleheaders. When they stepped on the field Friday against A&M-Corpus Christi (also a doubleheader), it was the Cardinals' first game in two weeks (series against Sam Houston the week prior was canceled due to positive COVID test results).
 
The Wildcats enter the weekend showdown with a 24-17 (.585) overall record, and currently fourth in the league standings with a 15-11 (.577) mark. After dropping four straight and six of eight, the Wildcats have rebounded and enter the weekend as one of the league's hottest teams. ACU won its last five games and bring a 14-7 (.667) home record into the series. The Wildcats are coming off an 8-6 victory over Houston Baptist last Sunday.
 
The weekend series will be a matchup of the Southland Conference's top two offenses. Abilene Christian leads the league with a .292 batting average (with a .292/.393/.433 slash line). The Wildcats have hit 34 home runs and 79 doubles in 2021.
 
Big Red's offense is hitting .287 (.287/.357/.417) on the season with 28 home runs and 54 doubles. The Cardinals have taken advantage of their speed just a bit more this season than has ACU. The Cardinals have stolen 43 bases, while Abilene has swiped 32-of-42 bags.
 
The Cardinals will look to their top-ranked pitching staff to try and slow down the Wildcats' bats. LU leads the Southland with a league-best 3.59 earned run average and owns the SLC's second-best opponent batting (.227). The Wildcats have struggled at times this season posting a 5.99 ERA, which ranks 11^th in the league.
 
The Wildcats announced rotation will be Tyler Morgan (RHP, 0-3, 8.04) Friday, Genner Cervantes (RHP, 5-1, 6.45) Saturday game 1, Adam Stephenson (LHP, 1-4, 3.88) Saturday game 2, and Spencer Chirpich (RHP, 5-3, 5.75) Sunday. The Cardinals will counter with Braxton Douthit (RHP, 1-2, 1.23) Friday, Zach Bravo (RHP, 5-1, 3.24) Saturday game 2 and Trevin Michael (RHP, 4-2, 3.68) Sunday. The Cardinals have not yet announced their starter for the first game of Saturday's doubleheader.  
 
The Cardinals lead the all-time series, 23-10, between the two programs, but ACU has had the upper hand recently. The Wildcats have won three of the past four meetings, but the 2020 series was cancelled due to COVID.
 
The first game of the series is slated for a 3:05 p.m. first pitch, with the Saturday doubleheader getting under way at 1:35 p.m. The two teams will close out the series with a 2:05 p.m. first pitch Sunday. All four games will be played from Crutcher Scott Field.