BEAUMONT, Texas – Lamar University will look to build on a three-game win streak as it travels to Commerce, Texas Friday to take East Texas A&M in a Southland Conference series. Friday's doubleheader starts at 5 p.m while Saturday's contest takes place at noon and all three games will be streamed on ESPN+.
 
PREVIOUSLY
The Cardinals (14-15, 2-4 SLC) recorded their first victory over Texas State in series history Wednesday, 8-0, at the LU Softball Complex. Reagan Smith pitched her second complete-game shutout of the season, allowing two hits and striking out three batters. Gracee Hess picked up two hits and was one of five Cardinals with an RBI.
 
ONE RULE: RUN TO WIN
LU's five-inning win over the Bobcats was the sixth run-rule victory of the season. This is the most run-rules in a Cardinal season since 2015, when LU established a program-best seven.
 
SMITH COMPLETING GOALS TO TOP 10
Smith moved into a tie for ninth all-time in complete games with 11 for her LU career. This puts her alongside Lydia Green (1984), Cindy Maddox (1986) and Emma Wardlaw (2024-25). She is also tied for fourth all-time in shutouts (four), sharing the mark with Karen Castilaw and is sixth in strikeouts (108).
 
   
LAST TIME VS. EAST TEXAS A&M
LU held off a seventh-inning Lion rally to win, 6-5, in the SLC tournament last season. Cala Wilson notched a two-run double while Kalie Amos collected two hits. Madison Guidry got the win with six innings, allowing five runs on eight hits with five strikeouts. Mallory Pitre conceded a hit but still picked up the save. The Cardinals have won all 10 meetings against ETAMU.
 
ABOUT THE LIONS
The Lions (6-24, 1-5 SLC) snapped a 20-game skid by ending their series with Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on top, 4-1. Outfielder Emma Rodrigues drove in two runs while pitcher Madison Kloepper went the distance, conceding six hits and four walks with one strikeout. Offensively, utilityman KK Cosek tops the hit leaderboard with 21 hits. First baseman Tatum Wright has driven in 10 runs with a .321 batting average.

UP NEXT
The Cardinals will start another four-game homestand at the LU Softball Complex Tuesday by hosting a rematch with Houston. The first pitch will be thrown at 5:30 p.m. and the game will be streamed on ESPN+.