BEAUMONT, Texas – After sweeping their road trip, Lamar University softball returns home looking to remain in first place in the Southland as they face off against Nicholls in a weekend series. All three games can be streamed on ESPN+.
LAST TIME OUT
Despite trailing early, LU captured a 4-2 midweek victory over UTSA for their sixth consecutive win.
Veronica Harrison put the Cardinals on top with a two-run home run in the top of the third while
Karyana Mitchell retired the final 14 batters she faced to end the game.
KEY STORYLINES
On this six-game win streak, the pitching staff for Big Red have not allowed more than two runs in a game. They have accomplished that feat in 17 of their 32 games this season and are undefeated when they do so.
The bats have started to wake up for the Cardinals as they have outscored opponents 36-8 during this six-game stretch. The magic number offensively this season has been six runs as the team is 11-0 when they hit that threshold.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Harrison's stellar freshman campaign continued Tuesday with her go-ahead two-run blast against the Roadrunners. Since conference play started, she is hitting .361 with four doubles and two home runs while adding 15 RBI to give her the team lead and rank her fourth in the conference.
After allowing a home run on the first pitch, Mitchell was able to settle in on Tuesday allowing just one run and five hits the rest of the way while also striking out seven batters in a complete game victory. This came on the heels of her taking home conference pitcher of the week honors for the second time this season after tossing a no-hitter last Friday against Texas A&M-Commerce.
OPPONENT INFO: Nicholls (17-15, 4-2 SLC)
Time: Thursday at 5:30 p.m., Friday at 1 and 3 p.m.
Series Record: LU 15-14
Last Meeting: LU 5-4 (5/12/23)
This series serves as a rematch from last year's Southland tournament where the Cardinals got the upper hand as the lower seed. The Colonels did not play last weekend as they were on a bye but are coming off a loss against No. 6 LSU on Tuesday. The team is led by Justin Lewis, the reigning Southland Coach of the Year.
The Colonels feature Molly VandenBout who currently leads the team in batting average (.337), home runs (5) and RBI (19). Mckenzie Champagne was named hitter of the week for the Southland thanks to her hitting her first two home runs of the season, including a walk-off solo shot, against Southern Miss.
On the mound, Audrey McNeill has taken home the conference pitcher of the week award twice ranking sixth in the Southland in opposing batting average (.222), innings pitched (80.1) and strikeouts (60). Molly Yoo is one spot behind her in innings pitched (72.2) while leading the conference in hit batters (23).
