BEAUMONT, Texas – For the first time in more than a decade (2011), the Lamar University baseball team will open a new season on the road. Heading into his eighth year at the helm, head coach Will Davis is guiding a program with high expectations entering the 2024 campaign.
 
Receiving first-place votes and picked second in the annual Southland Conference preseason poll, the Cardinals are looking to improve upon a 2023 season that had numerous highlights. The Cardinals posted a 32-23 (.582) overall record and finished third in the standings.
 
Along the way, Big Red knocked off five Power 5 schools, including then No. 5 Texas A&M in College Station.
 
Looking to continue a trend of three consecutive trips to the postseason, the Cardinals had eight players named to the preseason all-conference squad – the most of any league school including four first teamers (second most). In addition to the preseason all-conference selections, all three of LU's weekend starters were named to the list including first-team honorees Brooks Caple and Hunter Hesseltine.
 
The Cardinals will kick off the 2024 campaign with eight games away from Beaumont beginning Friday at the Mobile Baseball Tournament hosted by South Alabama. The Cardinals will face Southern Indiana, tournament-host South Alabama and North Alabama over the course of the three-day tournament.
 
SIU is looking to bounce back from a tough 2023 season that saw them go 17-38 (.309) overall before falling in the first round of the Ohio Valley Conference tournament. Friday's season-opener will serve as the first meeting between the two schools.
 
The Jaguars are also looking to build from a disappointing 2023 season. South Alabama posted a 23-31 (.426) overall record and went 11-19 (.367) in Sun Belt Conference play. The series between LU and the Jaguars dates back to the 1975 season with USA holding a 6-14 (.300) record. The Cardinals head to Mobile looking for their first road win against the Jaguars since 1994 and just the second road win in series history.
 
North Alabama posted a 14-37 (.275) record last season, with an 8-22 (.267) mark in Atlantic Sun competition but caught fire toward the end of the season. The Lions rallied down the stretch winning five of their final six games. Sunday's meeting between the two schools will be just the second in series history. The first also came on a neutral field when the Lions defeated Lamar (in Lake Charles, La.) during the 1990 season.
 
Friday's second opener is slated for a noon first pitch against Southern Indiana. The Cardinals will be back on the field Saturday evening for a 6:30 p.m. first pitch against the Jaguars before closing out the weekend with an 11 a.m. start against the Lions. All three games will take place from Stanky Field.