BEAUMONT, Texas — The final week of the regular season is here for Lamar University.

The Cardinals will step away from Southland Conference play for their final midweek contest Tuesday at Sam Houston.

LU enters the week controlling its own destiny in second place in the league standings, one game behind first-place Southeastern Louisiana.

The Cardinals close the regular-season conference schedule with a three-game series at Houston Christian from Thursday through Saturday.
OFFENSIVE LEADER: Beau Durbin leads the Cardinals with 195 at-bats, 14 doubles, 38 runs scored, 34 RBIs and nine multi-RBI games … He went 3 for 3 with three doubles and two RBIs in Game 3 against Southeastern, becoming the first LU hitter to record three doubles in a game since Kirkland Banks in 2022.

KEEPING TABS ON TAB: Tab Tracy continues to lead the Cardinals with a .339 batting average, 62 hits, 17 multi-hit games, a .443 on-base percentage and 19 stolen bases.

BEST DEFENSIVE SHORTSTOP: A.J. Taylor ranks third nationally among shortstops in defensive runs saved, according to 6-4-3 Charts … He leads the Cardinals with five home runs and a .446 slugging percentage and is tied for second on the team with 55 hits while also ranking second with 10 stolen bases, 10 doubles and 36 runs scored … Taylor has reached base safely in seven straight games, collecting three doubles, a triple, two home runs and eight RBIs during the stretch.

THIS AND THAT: Theo Kummer has nine hits over his last eight games, including three doubles, two home runs and seven RBIs … Braden Benton leads the Cardinals with 33 walks while Tracy, Taylor and Lane Sparks have combined to steal 37 of LU's 54 stolen bases this season.

OFFENSIVE HIGHLIGHTS: Taylor's five-hit game against New Orleans marked the first by a Cardinal since Zak Skinner in 2024 … LU's 20-1 victory in Game 3 at New Orleans was the fourth time since 2024 that the Cardinals have scored 20 or more runs in a game … Earlier this season, Tracy recorded a 20-game on-base streak, marking the 12th time since 2010 that an LU hitter has reached base safely in 20 or more consecutive games.

ACE OF THE STAFF: Chris Olivier ranks among the top 25 nationally in Division I with 90 strikeouts, checking in at No. 22 … He is 5-4 with a 2.92 ERA over 71 innings, holding opponents to a .185 batting average and recording one complete game ... Olivier leads the Southland Conference in opponent batting average and ranks second in ERA and strikeouts and third in innings pitched … He is 10 strikeouts shy of 100 for the season … Since 2010, only two LU pitchers have reached the 100‑strikeout milestone: Brooks Caple, who finished with 102 in 2024, and Jonathan Dziedzic, who accomplished the feat twice with 114 strikeouts in 2010 and 106 in 2013.

PITCHING HIGHLIGHTS: Travis Lutz ranks second on the staff with 48 strikeouts … He improved to 3-1 while lowering his ERA to 2.28 over 43.1 innings across 12 appearances, including 27 strikeouts over his last four outings … Ethan Oceguera holds a 4-1 record in 15 appearances while Fabian Ramirez owns a staff‑best 1.20 ERA in 13 appearances, allowing just two earned runs all season … A.J. Kostic has 10 strikeouts over his last three outings while he sports a 3-1 record in 14 appearances … Cooper Carlgren has 22 strikeouts across his last four outings … The LU pitching staff has also recorded two combined one-hitters this season — against UTRGV in Game 2 and Louisiana Tech — marking the program's first multiple combined one-hitters in a single season since 2013.

WHEN AT HOME: The Cardinals close out the regular season with a 16-11 record at home, including an 11-4 mark against conference opponents … Since 2024, LU is 67-17 at home.

HOME RUN TRACKER: LU has hit 27 home runs this season, with 19 coming on the road … LU has eight home runs at home for the season.

EXTRA INNINGS: The Cardinals have played in eight extra‑inning games this season, posting a 5-3 record … Six of the eight contests went 10 innings … LU has recorded three walk-off wins this season … LU has recorded two 10‑run rule wins, both coming in Game 3 road contests at Nicholls and New Orleans.

MIDWEEK CONTESTS: LU has gone 4-8 in midweek contests this season, highlighted by a 4-1 victory over Big 12 opponent and now No. 7 Kansas.
   
LU vs. Sam Houston: The former Southland Conference rivals will meet for the 148th time … Sam Houston holds a 78-68-1 advantage in the all‑time series dating back to the first meeting in 1952 … The teams last met March 17 in Beaumont, where the Bearkats earned a 7-4 victory.
CATCHING UP:  Sam Houston has dropped five of its last six games, including a three‑game road sweep at Kennesaw State last weekend … The Bearkats are 4-2 this season against Southland Conference opponents and enter the week with a 20-28 overall record and a 9-15 mark in Conference USA.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Senior outfielder Jeric Curtis leads the Bearkats with 54 hits, 11 doubles and a .323 batting average … Redshirt junior infielder Ryan Franden has a team‑high eight home runs and is tied for the team lead with 33 RBIs alongside freshman catcher Wes Baker … Sam Houston's pitching staff carries a 6.33 ERA.