BEAUMONT, Texas — The highly anticipated three-game series between Lamar University and nationally ranked Oregon State has arrived.
The Beavers enter the week ranked No. 9 nationally by D1Baseball.com and No. 8 in Baseball America's top 25.
CARDINALS AT A GLANCE
HIGH PROFILE GAME: The last time LU hosted a top 10 program came in 2016, when No. 7 LSU visited Vincent‑Beck Stadium … The Cardinals pulled off a 12-11 upset in front of 3,563 fans.
LU VS. THE TOP 25: The Cardinals have faced three ranked opponents this season, their most since 2016, when the program played four ranked teams, hosting three including Arizona and Houston … LU's last victory over a top 25 program at home came in 2018 against No. 22 Missouri State.
ACE OF THE STAFF: Chris Olivier remains 4-0 on the season … Olivier has recorded double‑digit strikeouts in three of his four home starts, fanning 44 batters while allowing 10 hits and two runs … In seven starts, he has 59 strikeouts and a 1.42 ERA in 44.1 innings pitched with a 0.92 WHIP … Olivier is tied for seventh nationally in Division I in strikeouts and 19th in ERA … He is a three-time Southland Conference Pitcher of the Week (Feb. 16, March 2 and March 16) while he also was named Dick Howser Trophy National Player of the Week (Feb. 17) and recognized nationally by D1Baseball.com, 64 Analytics and Baseball America.
SOLID FRESHMAN: Jarret Williams has been a steady presence on the mound this season, posting a 1.61 ERA with 25 strikeouts and a 1.04 WHIP across 28 innings pitched … The lefthander has made seven appearances, including six starts, while holding opponents to a .178 batting average … Williams ranks second on the team in strikeouts, ERA and innings pitched, and did not allow an earned run in his first five collegiate outings … Most recently, he was named a First Team Perfect Game College Baseball Midseason Freshman All-American.
PITCHING HIGHLIGHTS: Fabian Ramirez ranks third on the LU staff with a 1.69 ERA in 10 appearances, allowing just two earned runs over 10.2 innings with 10 strikeouts …
Travis Lutz has not allowed a run in his last four appearances and owns a 1.84 ERA in seven outings, striking out 18 … The Cardinals pitching staff has also recorded two combined one-hitters this season — against UT Rio Grande Valley in Game 2 and Louisiana Tech — marking the program's first multiple combined one-hitters in a single season since 2013.
KEEPING TABS ON TAB: Tab Tracy leads the Cardinals with a .336 batting average, a .437 on-base percentage and 13 stolen bases … He is tied for the team lead with 38 hits and carries a 20-game on-base streak, marking the 12th time in program history a Cardinal hitter has recorded an on-base streak of 20 or more games.
OFFENSIVE HIGHLIGHTS: Beau Durbin is tied for the team lead in hits and leads the Cardinals with seven doubles, a .492 slugging percentage, four home runs and 22 RBIs … Durbin is also tied for the team lead in multi-hit games with 10, alongside
A.J. Taylor and Tracy, and ranks first on the team with six multi-RBI games …
Braden Benton leads the Cardinals with 26 walks and ranks second on the team with a .429 on-base percentage while Taylor is third in hits with 33 and owns a .440 slugging percentage.
OFFENSIVE RESURGENCE: Kevin Duran drove in six runs in Game 3 against Texas A&M–Corpus Christi, becoming the second Cardinal this season with five or more RBIs in a game, joining Tracy's five-RBI performance against McNeese in Game 3 … Duran ranks second on the team with an .859 OPS and a .457 slugging percentage while sitting third with 17 RBIs and a .304 batting average.
OFFENSIVE SPARK: Lane Sparks is riding a four-game hitting streak, going 5 for 14 (.357) during the span with a triple, a home run and five RBIs.
HOME RUN TRACKER: LU has hit 16 home runs this season, with 11 coming on the road … Durbin's three-run homer against Kansas on Feb. 18 was the team's first at home … Evans added the second at home with a two-run walk-off homer against Tarleton State on March 24 … Durbin and Sparks each homered during Game 3 against UIW, giving LU four home runs at home for the season.
EXTRA INNINGS: The Cardinals have played in six extra‑inning games this season, posting a 4-2 record … All six contests went 10 innings.
WALK IT OFF: Since 2025, LU has recorded nine true walk-off wins, including four walk-off victories secured via the 10-run rule … The walk-off win over Tarleton State marked the team's second in March, following Durbin's RBI single that lifted the Cardinals to a 2-1 victory over UTRGV.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
LU vs. Oregon State: This is the first meeting between both programs.
BEAVERS AT A GLANCE
ELITE PROGRAM: Oregon State has made eight College World Series appearances since its first in 1952 and has captured three national championships, winning titles in 2006, 2007 and 2018 … Last season, the Beavers finished fifth at the College World Series, posting an 11-4 postseason record while winning both the regional and super regional hosted in Corvallis, Ore.
RECAPPING 2025: The Beavers posted a 48-16-1 record while competing as a Division I independent and went 23-4 at home … Oregon State featured six All-Americans — the second most in program history — and the pitching staff set a single‑season school record with 676 strikeouts.
CATCHING UP: Oregon State is 21-6 overall and has won eight of its last 10 games … The Beavers suffered their first home loss of the season in an 18-2 midweek setback against Washington … Last weekend, the Beavers swept Mercer in a three‑game series, outscoring the opposition, 29-8.
BEST PITCHER IN THE NATION: Sophomore righthander Dax Whitney was recently named to Baseball America's Midseason Watch Lists for both Pitcher and Player of the Year, one of just two pitchers to appear on both lists … Whitney owns a 4-0 record with a 1.55 ERA across 40.2 innings pitched and leads the nation with 78 strikeouts, recording 11 or more in five of his seven starts … He also tied the program's single-game record with 17 strikeouts against Baylor on Feb. 20.
NATION'S BEST CATCHER: Senior Jacob Galloway is one of 50 players named to the midseason Buster Posey Award Watch List, presented annually to the nation's top catcher … Galloway has made 25 starts this season and is batting .299 with eight doubles, eight RBIs and 11 walks … He is seeking to become the second Beaver to earn the honor, joining Adley Rutschman (2019).
OFFENSIVE LEADERS: Senior outfielder Easton Talt leads the team with 28 hits and 24 RBIs … Senior catcher Bryce Hubbard leads the way with a .321 average and five home runs.
HIGHLIGHTING THE PITCHING STAFF: The staff has tallied 356 strikeouts while sporting a collective 3.74 ERA … Junior lefthander Ethan Kleinschmit ranks second on the staff with 50 strikeouts in 34.1 innings pitched … Junior righthander Eric Segura is second on the staff with a 1.69 ERA in seven starts with 41 strikeouts.
#PeckEmCards
