LUBBOCK, Texas (February 6, 2015) – Pitchers Courtney McGee and Kelsey Hoppel made their respective returns to the circle in Lubbock Christian's opening day, with McGee directing a 10-1 beating of Western New Mexico and Hoppel preserving a 6-4 win over MidAmerica Nazarene Friday afternoon at PlainsCapital Park.

McGee, coming off of a medical redshirt in 2014, gave up four hits in four innings in the shortened five-frame game against the Mustangs. Hoppel, a redshirt senior on the Lady Chap basketball team, made her collegiate softball debut, allowing a single hit in the come-from-behind win versus the Pioneers. Dating to last season, LCU (2-0, 0-0 Heartland) has now won 12 straight contests.

Leading WNMU (0-2, 0-0 RMAC) 3-1 in the bottom of the third, LCU's offensive came alive, scoring seven runs. Sammie Murrietta singled up the middle, McGee was hit by a pitch, and Faith Koria reached on a fielder's choice to load the bases for Ashton Bell, who earned a walk to bring Murrietta home. Katera Eltsosie then sailed a shot over the center field fence for a grand slam and an 8-1 Lady Chap lead. Jessica Loiacano singled through the left side and was brought around by a Molly Davison home run to increase LCU's advantage to 10-1. The Mustangs failed to score in the next frame, allowing the game to finish in the fifth inning.
In the win, Loiacano collected three hits and an RBI while Davison had two hits and a trio of RBI.

For the Mustangs, Alicia Enriquez registered a pair of hits and Mikayla Austin (0-1) took the loss in her first appearance on the season.
In game two, the Lady Chaps started off well against MNU (1-1, 0-0 HAAC), going up 2-0 following a double to right center by Bell. However, two defensive lapses in the top of the fourth allowed the Pioneers to break into the scoring column. Back-to-back throwing errors eluded to four runs being scored by the visitors to pull ahead 4-2 before the inning concluded.

Consecutive singles by Pam Pence, Koria and Sydney Beuthien kicked off the bottom of the fifth for the Lady Chaps, setting up a triple by Bell to score Beuthien and Koria to knot the game at 4-4 before a sacrifice fly by Loiacano brought Bell in for a 5-4 LCU advantage.

Liz Torres made the most of her first pitch in the bottom of the sixth, homering down the left field line to up the Lady Chap lead to 6-4, which would be maintained as the Pioneers were unable to score the rest of the way.

Bell produced three hits and four RBI in the win while Koria recorded a pair of hits and runs.

For MNU, Megan Schwindler (1-1) suffered her first defeat in 2015.

The Lady Chaps are back in action tomorrow at PlainsCapital Park, hosting MNU at noon and WMNU at 2 p.m.