FRISCO, Texas — The defending regular season champion Lamar University baseball team was picked first in the 2025 Southland Conference preseason poll after receiving 18 first-place votes, the league announced Thursday morning.
The Cardinals also had four players (three first-team and one second-team selection) named to the preseason All-SLC team.
Lamar University tallied 197 votes, being picked ahead of second-place Southeastern (146 votes).
This is the first time the Cardinals receive a first-place prediction in the SLC preseason poll since 2005 when they sat atop both the coaches and sports information director's polls.
Zak Skinner (catcher),
Brayden Evans (first base) and
Kyle Moseley (relief pitcher) were named to the first team while
Matt Ryan (third baseman) was selected to the second team.
Skinner and Evans were both named second team All-SLC last spring.
Finishing fifth in the conference in hitting, Skinner posted a .339 average with 75 hits, 16 doubles, 10 home runs and 53 runs batted in.
Skinner went on to lead the team in batting average and doubles while he ranked second in hits and RBIs.
He went on to earn SLC Hitter of the Week honors after an impressive three-game sweep of nationally ranked Oklahoma. He drove in eight runs and had three home runs while batting .368 with a .737 slugging percentage during the week.
Evans was named to the SLC all-tournament team after going 11 for 22 (.500) with three home runs, two doubles and six RBIs.
He finished third on the team with a .326 average to go along with 70 hits, 14 doubles, 13 home runs and 43 RBIs.
In 23 appearances, Moseley, a transfer from Division II Angelo State, posted a 3-0 record with a 3.18 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 28.1 innings of work.
Moseley also had a WHIP of 1.13 while holding opponents to a .192 average.
Ryan is a newcomer, transferring in from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, where he hit .295 with 57 hits, 18 doubles, eight home runs and 38 RBIs in 52 games started during the 2024 season.
He helped guide the Retrievers to a spot in the America East tournament championship game.
Lamar University recorded 44 wins, the fourth-most in program history, last season while it also boasted the nation's second-best bullpen that sported a 3.79 ERA.
The Cardinals return 18 letterman (nine hitters and nine pitchers) while they added 33 newcomers.
SEASON OPENER
Lamar University travels to Bakersfield, Calif. to take on Cal State Bakersfield for a three-game series beginning Friday, Feb. 14 at 8:30 p.m. Central time.
PRESEASON POLL
- Lamar 197 (18)
- Southeastern 146 (4)
- McNeese 145
- UTRGV 144
- Nicholls 129
- New Orleans 128
- Incarnate Word 95
- Northwestern State 89
- Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 73
- Houston Christian 37
- Stephen F. Austin 27
ALL-SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE PRESEASON FIRST TEAM
C
Zak Skinner Lamar
1B
Brayden Evans Lamar
2B Isaac Webb Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
SS T.J. Salvaggio Southeastern
3B Rocco Gump Northwestern State
OF Reese Lipoma Northwestern State
OF Connor Westenburg McNeese
OF Cole Stromboe Southeastern
OF Tristian Moore New Orleans
UT Bryce Calloway New Orleans
DH Rey Mendoza Incarnate Word
SP Brennan Stuprich Southeastern
SP John Salinas Incarnate Word
SP Zach Garcia Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
RP
Kyle Moseley Lamar
ALL-SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE PRESEASON SECOND TEAM
C Steven Lancia UTRGV
1B Martin Vazquez UTRGV
2B Diego Villsecas New Orleans
SS Isaac Lopez UTRGV
3B Easton Moomau UTRGV
3B
Matt Ryan Lamar
OF Balin Valentine Northwestern State
OF Parker Coley Southeastern
OF Jude Hall Southeastern
UT Simon Larranaga McNeese
DH Armani Raygoza UTRGV
SP Parker Edwards Houston Christian
SP Angelo Cabral UTRGV
SP Tyler Bryan Northwestern State
RP Larson Fabre Southeastern
#PeckEmCards
