BEAUMONT, Texas - The Lamar University softball team had to wait a week after a scheduled doubleheader was moved to later to return home. Now, they will host their second Southland Conference series of the season as they will face-off against their border rival McNeese in a three-game series.

PREVIOUSLY
The Cardinals suffered a tough 3-2 loss against #21 Texas A&M. Sam Bean led LU with two hits, including her fifth homer of the season while Mikaila Kenney notched her first homer of the season. All four pitchers in Aaliyah Ruiz (2.0 IP, two hits, one strikeout, 0 runs), Karyana Mitchell (2.2 IP, three hits, two strikeouts, one run), Fadwa Ben Karim (0.2 IP, three hits, one run), and Cameron Niedenthal (1.0 IP, two hits, one run) made an appearance in the game.  

STATS UPDATE
Bean continues to lead LU in batting average (.372), hits (35), and homers (five) while Kaylee Ancelot remains LU's RBI leader with 21 runs driven in. Karyana Mitchell (4.65 ERA) and Aaliyah Ruiz (5.85 ERA) have combined for eight wins between them. Mitchell still has the team lead in strikeouts with 42 and innings pitched (61.2)

FINAL COUNTDOWN
Ruiz picked up one strikeout against the Aggies putting her 10 strikeouts away from 300.


SCHEDULE

Friday, Mar. 31

3:00 p.m. vs. McNeese (DH)


Saturday, Apr. 1

12:00 p.m. vs. McNeese

OPPONENT INFO: McNeese
Series Record: McNeese 27-2 (29th Meeting)
Last Meeting: McNeese 7-3 (4/23/22)

The Cardinals haven't beaten the Cowgirls in 14 straight meetings. Their last win was on April 21, 2017 when LU split a doubleheader with a 6-1 victory.

Following a 2-0 win over Sam Houston, the Cowgirls are 23-10 and also the only undefeated team in the Southland Conference. Alayis Seneca leads the Cowgirls with a .366 batting average with 30 hits while she and Reese Reyna (.313 BA, 26 hits) each have a team-high 14 steals. Mariana Torres has driven in 24 RBI with two homers, eight doubles, and two triples. In the circle, Whitney Tate has an 11-2 record with a 1.48 ERA and 50 strikeouts, which is second to Ashley Vallejo (57)
 

Up Next
The Cardinals travel to Louisiana for a doubleheader with Southern University in Baton Rouge starting Wednesday at 3:00 p.m.