The 2024 Lamar Cardinals baseball team represented Lamar University during the 2024 NCAA Division I baseball season as members of the Southland Conference. The Cardinals played their home games at Vincent–Beck Stadium and were led by eighth–year head coach Will Davis. On May 16, the team clinched at least a share of the conference regular season championship. The Cardinals moved to sole regular season champions due to a 6–10 Nicholls loss to McNeese in both teams' final regular season game on May 18. The team compiled a 44–15 overall record and were 17–7 in conference play winning the regular season championship. They qualified for the SLC tournament as the number 1 seed. The Cardinals advanced to the tournament semi–finals with a 3–2 tournament record losing their first game 3–6 to 8th seeded Incarnate Word and winning three elimination games defeating 4th seeded Northwestern State 12–5, Incarnate Word 18–6 , and McNeese 18–9. Their season ended with a loss to McNeese 4–14 .
Previous season
The Cardinals had an overall season record of 32–23 including a conference record of 13–11 finishing in third place in SLC play. They participated in the 2023 Southland Conference baseball tournament as the third seeded team. The Cardinals were 0–2 in the conference tournament losing to fourth seeded New Orleans 1–4 and first seeded Nicholls 0–4.
New Players On September 26, 2023, Lamar announced the addition of eight junior college transfers joining the team for the 2024 season. On October 21, 2023, Lamar announced ten transfers from NCAA Division I programs and one player from an NCAA Division II program.
NCAA Division I Transfers Cristian Cienfuegos Pitcher (RHP) Baytown, Texas Rice Bryce Grizzaffi Catcher Morgan City, Louisiana Southeastern Louisiana Logan Hamm Outfielder /Pitcher (RHP) Bridge City, Texas Houston Peyton Harvard Pitcher (RHP) Bridge City, Texas Louisiana Scott Jones Outfielder Sulphur, Louisiana Butler Weston Peninger Catcher Flower Mound, Texas Utah Valley Travis Phelps Pitcher (RHP) Alvin, Texas Houston Will Ripoll Pitcher (RHP)– New Orleans, Louisiana Houston Christian Austin Roccaforte Outfielder / Infielder Port Neches, Texas Houston Christian Drake Varnado Infielder Tomball, Texas Arizona StateNCAA Division II Transfer Kyle Mosley Pitcher (LHP) Houston, Texas Angelo StateJUCO Transfers Brayden Evans 1B / Outfielder Pearland, Texas Wharton JC Slade Foreman Outfielder Bridge City, Texas Angelina College Colton Graham Pitcher (RHP) Surprise, Arizona Glendale CC Heladio Moreno Outfielder Pearland, Texas Angelina College Anthony Ortiz Pitcher (RHP) Caguas, Puerto Rico Labette CC Hunter Rebando Catcher Lampasas, Texas Hill College Ricky Sanchez Infielder Mexico City, Mexico Barton CC Zak Skinner Catcher Melbourne, Australia Vernon College College Top 25: April 15
Southland Conference Coaches Poll The Southland Conference Coaches Poll was released on February 8, 2024. Lamar was picked to finish second in the Southland Conference with 106 overall votes and 1 first place vote.
Coaches poll 1 Nicholls 126 (14) 2 Lamar 106 (1) 3 New Orleans 92 (3) 4 Incarnate Word 81 5 McNeese 67 6 Texas A&M–Corpus Christi 55 7 Southeastern Louisiana 53 8 Northwestern State 42 9 Houston Christian 26
Preseason All-Southland team Ethan Ruiz, Brooks Caple, Hunter Hesseltine, and Kanin Dodge were named to the conference preseason first team. Austin Roccaforte, River Orsak, Jacob Ellis, and Jackson Cleveland were named to the conference preseason second team.
First Team Edgar Alvarez* (NICH, SR, 1st Base) MaCrae Kendrick (NICH, SR, 2nd Base) Ethan Ruiz (LU, SR, 3rd Base) Parker Coddou* (NICH, SR, Shortstop) Miguel Useche (UNO, SR, Catcher) Rey Mendoza* (UIW, GR, Designated Hitter)9 Mitchell Sanford* (UNO, RJR, Outfielder) Samuel Benjamin* (HCU, SR, Outfielder) Issac Williams (UNO, SR, Outfielder) Jacob Mayers* (NICH, SO, Starting Pitcher) Brooks Caple* (LU, SR, Starting Pitcher) Hunter Hesseltine* (LU, JR, Starting Pitcher) Gavin Galy* (NICH, RJR, Relief Pitcher) Kanin Dodge (LU, SR, Utility) *-2023 Southland All-Conference Selection
Second Team Cameron Crotte (UIW, SR, 1st Base) Austin Roccaforte (LU, SR, 2nd Base) Dylan Mach (UNO, SR, 3rd Base)9 Jake Haze* (SLU, GR, Shortstop) Bo Willis (NWST, SR, Catcher) River Orsak (LU, SR, Designated Hitter) Garrett Felix (NICH, SR, Outfielder) Cooper Hext (MCNS, SR, Outfielder) Christian Smith-Johnson (TAMUCC, SO, Outfielder) Chase Prestwich (NWST, JR, Starting Pitcher) Isaiah Zavala (UIW, GR, Starting Pitcher) Jacob Ellis (LU, SR, Starting Pitcher) Jackson Cleveland (LU, JR, Relief Pitcher) Grant Randall (UIW, SR, Utility) *-2023 Southland All-Conference Selection
Roster
Schedule and results Legend Lamar win Lamar loss Postponement/Cancelation/SuspensionsBoldLamar team member * Non-Conference game † Make-Up Game