BEAUMONT, Texas – Lamar University remains in contention to finish in the top four of the Southland Conference standings as it will host UIW at the LU Softball Complex for the final home series of 2026. The contests start Friday with a doubleheader (2/4 p.m.) while Saturday's finale is a noon start. Only the first and third games of the series will be streamed on ESPN+.
 
PREVIOUSLY
The Cardinals (26-20, 12-9 SLC) dropped two of three to Northwestern State in the midweek series, losing by scores of 6-2 and 9-6, while winning game two, 10-5. In that victory, Makenzie Wright drove in three runs on two hits, including the go-ahead RBI single in the fourth inning to put LU ahead to stay.
 
CALA ON CLOUD NINE LOOKING TO JOIN CLUB 10
Cala Wilson's two-run blast Wednesday was her ninth homer of the season, which is currently the third most in a single season in program history. Only two players have hit double-digit homers in a single season with Ashley McDowell (12) and Candyce Carter (10) achieving the milestone in 2013. Wilson is tied for third in the Southland Conference along with Maddie Taylor (McNeese)
 
SATURDAY + HOME FINALE = SENIOR DAY
LU will be honoring seniors Kalie Amos, Gracee Hess, Reagan Smith and Kalyn Xayaseng for senior day Saturday in a postgame ceremony.
 
SOUTHLAND SCENARIO
Big Red is in a three-way tie for fourth in the league standings with NSU and McNeese while trailing third-place Nicholls by two games and second-place UIW by three. Nicholls will be taking on Southeastern Louisiana this weekend while McNeese battles Stephen F. Austin and the Demons take on Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
 

OPPONENT INFO: UIW
Time: Friday (4/6 p.m.); Saturday at Noon
Series Record: LU leads, 18-12
Last Meeting: UIW 10-2 (5 inn.) (May, 3, 2025)

 
LAST TIME VS. UIW
Big Red faced UIW five times last season and went 1-4. The lone win was a 4-3, 10-inning thriller in San Antonio, where Gracee Hess delivered a game-tying two-run homer with two outs in the seventh to send the game to extras. Reagan Smith started the game and lasted eight innings while Madison Guidry earned the victory with two shutout frames. LU leads the series, 18-12.
 
ABOUT UIW
UIW (30-15, 15-6 SLC) recently swept East Texas A&M by scores of 5-3, 6-3 and 11-3 (6 inn.). The offense ranks first in the conference in batting average (.339), runs (308), RBIs (279) and homers (52). Victoria Altamirano leads the league with a .400 batting average, 59 hits, 19 homers and 57 RBIs. In the circle, Samantha Portillo has a team-low 3.55 ERA while Bella Mitchell has won 10 games and struck out 48 batters.  
 
UP NEXT
Big Red closes out the regular season on the road against Houston Christian at Husky Field. The series opens Friday with a doubleheader starting at 4 p.m. while the regular-season finale takes place at noon Saturday. All three games will be streamed on ESPN+.
 

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