BEAUMONT, Texas - With a chance to clinch a spot in the Southland Conference tournament on the line, Lamar University's softball team will have their final home series for the season as they welcome in Texas A&M-Commerce for the first time ever. It will also mark the final time for nine seniors to play at the LU Softball Complex.

PREVIOUSLY
Facing off with the UIW Cardinals, LU took two-of-three in last weekend's series. Shutting out UIW 9-0 in game one, the Cardinals would need two days to complete their second game with an 8-1 win to clinch the series despite losing game three later on. Aaliyah Ruiz would pitch 12 innings allowing one run on seven hits while striking out three. Kaylee Ancelot homered in the two victories while Brooke Davis (three RBI; Gm 1), Cameron Niedenthal (two RBI; Gm 1) and Sam Bean (two RBI; Gm 2) each had multiple RBI games in the win.

SOUTHLAND STANDINGS UPDATE
There's currently a three-way tie for fifth place as LU is 9-12 along with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Houston Christian. In the final weekend, LU is taking on TAMC, TAMCC is meeting with UIW and HCU is meeting with top-seeded McNeese.
1. To clinch the fifth seed, LU must win more games in their series than both TAMCC and HCU.
    1. If at the end of the weekend, LU finds themselves tied with TAMCC, the Islanders get the higher seed in a tiebreaker due to winning the series against LU earlier.
    2. If LU is tied with HCU, the Cardinals have the tiebreaker over the Huskies due to winning the series against HCU.
    3. If all three teams are tied at the end of the weekend, the head to head matchups with each don't break the tie since HCU defeated TAMCC. The next option, according to the SLC is each of the tied team's record (won-lost percentage) vs. the team occupying the highest position in the final regular season standings, and then continuing down through the standings, eliminating tied teams with inferior records until one team gains an advantage.

All three teams are also one game back of Northwestern State in the conference and they will meet up with Southeastern. If LU finishes above both HCU and TAMCC by sweeping their series with TAMC and NSU wins two of three to SLU, both teams will be tied at 12-12, but LU would have the tiebreaker because of their series win against the Demons.

WE GOT ONE!
For the first time this season, a Cardinal will be entering this weekend as the reigning SLC Pitcher of the Week. The honor was given to Ruiz, who pitched 16.0 innings with 11 strikeouts to earn three wins this past weekend for LU.

EIGHT CARDS OUT? NOOOO! SAY IT AIN'T SO!
This weekend will be senior weekend for eight Cardinal players and their outstanding careers at LU. Honored for their time will be Ancelot, Bean, Felixia Hinojosa, Rien Milliken, Nicolette Ramirez, Ruiz, Olivia Taylor and Aleka Xayaseng.

STATS UPDATE
Following a .555 batting average week, Ancelot has overtaken Bean in the team batting average (.324) lead while tied with 45 hits and six homers. She also still has the RBI lead with 35 for the season. In the circle, Ruiz has dropped her ERA to 3.53 with 10 wins and a team-high 72 strikeouts in 115.0 innings.


SCHEDULE

Friday, May 5

3:00 p.m. vs. Texas A&M-Commerce (DH)

Saturday, May 6

12:00 p.m. vs. Texas A&M-Commerce


OPPONENT INFO: Texas A&M-Commerce
Series Record: First Meeting
Last Meeting: First Meeting

The Lions are 9-36 overall and 5-16 in their first season in the SLC. Kaydee Bennett tops all Lion hitters with a .327 batting average and 37 hits while Diamond Sefe drives has driven in 23 runs and homered four times. In the circle, Julia Sanchez posts an ERA of 3.80 with eight complete games, 82 strikeouts, and seven wins in 121.2 innings pitched.  



UP NEXT
If the Cardinals clinch a spot in the tournament, their first game will be on Tuesday, May 9th. Times for the game will be determined based on LU's final seeding.
- No. 4/No. 5 - 12:00 PM
- No. 7 - 2:30 PM
- No. 6 - 5:00 PM

 

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