On Deck - #21 Lions vs. Lamar University

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SLU Lions (23-3, 7-2) vs. Lamar Cardinals (15-10, 2-7)
Vincent-Beck Stadium, Beaumont, TX
Game 1: 6:30 pm Thursday April 1
Game 2: 6:30 pm Friday April 2
Game 3: 1:00 pm Saturday April 3
Fresh off of a 5 game home stand, where they finished 4-1, the #21 ranked SLU Lions head to Beaumont, TX to take on Southland Conference rival Lamar Cardinals at Vincent-Beck Stadium. This weeks conference series will be played on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday due to the Easter break. Thursday and Friday’s games are scheduled for 6:30. Saturday’s first pitch is set for 1:00.

Throw out the records for this series. When these two teams meet there are always plenty of fireworks as each team has won 7 of the last 14 meetings. Last year in Hammond the Lions won the weekend series by winning game 1 by the 10 run rule 11-1 and taking the Sunday contest 10-4. The Cardinals won the Saturday game 10-1.

The rivalry began during the 2008 season as SLU traveled to Beaumont late in the season for a key conference match up. The Lions lost the bookend games of the series 3-1 and 5-4 in 11 innings. On Saturday SLU erupted for 7 runs in 4th, 6 runs in the 6th, and 4 runs in the 8th, as they beat Lamar 17-9.

Then things got real interesting in the conference tournament. With the Lions leading 7-4 going into the bottom of the 9th of the opening game of the SLC tournament, Lamar came storming back and scored 4 runs to send the Lions to losers bracket. SLU then won two elimination games and had to beat Lamar twice to get to the championship. Well the Lions were fired up and proceeded to rack up 18 hits as they 10 run ruled the Cardinals 17-1. Somewhere in the middle of this game the Lamar coaching staff took exception to the Lions pounding out hit after hit and tempers began to flare. Those emotions carried over into the next day's all or nothing game. Lamar’s pitching was great that day as the Lions could only muster 5 hits and were eliminated with a 4-2 loss. However, a new rivalry in the SLC was born.

Notes:

Since 2007 Lamar leads the series 8-7. When the Lions win they usually win big. Five of SLU’s 7 victories have been by more than 6 runs. 5 of Lamar’s 8 victories have been by nor more than 2 runs.

The Lions are 1-2 at Lamar under Jay Artigues. Due to a quirk in the schedule the Lions played Lamar at home in 2006 and in 2007.

Currently Lamar is on a 4 game losing streak. They were swept at Texas State last weekend and dropped a midweek contest to Rice 7-2.

The Lions are hitting .297 as a team and opponents are hitting .254 against them. SLU is lead at the plate by Jeff Harkensee (.347, 3 HR, 20 RBI), Justin Boudreaux (.347, 6 HR, 30 RBI), Cass Hargis (.339, 0 HR, 23 RBI).

The Lions are expected to throw Tyler Watkins (3-1, 3.50 ERA) on Thursday and Brandon Efferson (5-0, 2.27 ERA) on Friday. Saturday’s starter is TBA. Lamar is expected to counter with RHP Matison Smith (3-1, 3.64 ERA), RHP Eric Harrington (3-1, 4.91 ERA), and LHP Jonathan Dziedzic (1-1, 4.54 ERA).

Lamar is hitting .290 as a team and opponents are hitting .285 against the Cardinals. Lamar is led at the plate by Aaron Buchanan (.344, 0 HR, 15 RBI), Pablo Salinas (.313, HR, 9 RBI), and Ted Zentek (.313, HR, 12 RBI).