Lubbock Christian (30-10, 17-2 Heartland) at Oklahoma Christian (21-14, 9-8 Heartland)
Saturday, April 11.... Originally a 12 p.m. start, but rain has postponed the start until 2 p.m.
Oklahoma City, Okla. (Tom Heath Field)
 
About Oklahoma Christian
The Lady Eagles have been up-and-down in 2015, winning their first seven contests before compiling a 1-8 record in the next nine games. OC began conference play with a dismal 0-6 mark but have since won nine of their last 10 Heartland matchups. Three-time Pitcher of the Week Shea Coats ranks first in the league with three saves and is second with an ERA of 1.81. Kendra Pierce has been named the Heartland Hitter of the Week on two occasions and leads the conference in batting average at .519, on base percentage with a mark of .558 and hits with 56.
 
History between LCU and OC
Prior to yesterday's split, LCU held an all-time 24-3 advantage over OC. Lubbock Christian had won 12 straight since before yesterday's game one loss.
 
LCU falls to foe OC before dominating in game two victory
OKLAHOMA CITY (April 10, 2015) – Lubbock Christian suffered conference loss number two of the season at the hands of Oklahoma Christian in a 5-1 defeat but rebounded with a 9-0 win in which Kelsey Hoppel delivered a her first shutout from the circle and Jessica Loiacano and Katlin Reed each tallied a home run Friday evening at Tom Heath Field.
 
Coming into the contest, the Lady Chaps held a 24-3 all-time record against the Lady Eagles and had won the past dozen meetings. The loss to OC (21-14, 9-8 Heartland) still leaves LCU (30-10, 17-2 Heartland) in first place within the Heartland, although the Lady Chaps are now tied with St. Mary's in defeats, but StMU have three less wins up to this point.
 
The Lady Chaps and Lady Eagles each produced a scoreless inning one to begin the evening before Abi Poe was placed on first base for Liz Torres after she was nailed by a pitch. A double by Molly Davison to right center scored Poe for a 1-0 LCU edge.
 
OC loaded the bases in their first three at bats by way of two walks and a single before a wild pitch allowed Sheridan Bond to squeak in to tie the game. A triple by Monique Elliot permitted two more Lady Eagles to cross home plate, and Elliot was able to make it around following an RBI by Courtney Starr for a 4-1 lead.
 
Pitcher Shea Coats dominated for OC by fanning nine of the next 15 LCU batters, and the Lady Eagles tacked on another run in the sixth due in part to three Lady Chap errors to take the game, 5-1.
 
Courtney McGee (16-5) suffered the loss on five hits, five walks and a strikeout.
 
Loiacano wasted little time getting the Lady Chaps bats going in the second game by homering to right center in the top of the first with two outs on the board for a 2-0 lead. Davison collected her second double of the day in the following frame and was brought around by a home run from Katlin Reed to double LCU's advantage to 4-0.
 
The Lady Chaps again rallied with two outs against them in the third started by a Loiacano single, followed by an OC fielding error and a trio of walks to score another pair. Addison Ard showed her efficiency as a pinch hitter by singling a two-run RBI to right center to put LCU up 8-0. An RBI single by Faith Koria added another run to the total in the fifth, while Hoppel and the Lady Chap defense held the Lady Eagles scoreless to conclude the game in the bottom of the fifth.
 
Hoppel (9-2) earned the win with four hits, a walk and three strikeouts.
 
Loiacano first Heartland winner for first place Lady Chaps
WACO, Texas (April 6, 2015) – First place Lubbock Christian received its first Heartland Conference honor of 2015 with Jessica Loiacano earning Hitter of the Week for her production against nationally second-ranked West Texas A&M and Heartland member Oklahoma Panhandle State.
 
The senior infielder recorded nine hits, nine RBI and a trio of home runs during a week that included a sweep of the Aggies to remain atop the conference standings. Loiacano tallied an average of .692 along with a 1.385 slugging percentage.
 
The Temple City, Calif., native is ranked second in Heartland in homeruns (10), third in RBI (38), fourth in slugging (.735) and total bases (83), fifth in batting (.416) and hits (47), and eighth in on base percentage (.468).
 
LCU's Beuthien announced as finalist for National Freshman of the Year
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (April 9, 2015) – Sydney Beuthien of Lubbock Christian has been named a finalist in the field of 25 for the inaugural National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) Division II National Freshman of the Year Award, which will be presented prior to the start of the 2015 NCAA Division II National Championship in Oklahoma City, Okla.
 
This award was created to honor the outstanding athletic achievement among freshman softball student-athletes throughout Division II behind the collaboration of the NFCA and its Division II Head Coaches Committee.
 
Beuthien has made quite an impression during the 2015 season despite not playing high school softball. The Era, Texas, native's high school was so small it did not sponsor the sport, but the 5-9 standout athlete excelled in basketball and track and field. After being discovered by LCU Head Coach Daren Hays last summer, the first year Lady Chap has been putting up impressive numbers to lead the Heartland Conference and rank nationally. Beuthien leads the league in home runs (15), RBI (48), total bases (122) and triples (3), and her numbers rank eighth in the country in home runs and RBI.
 
This year's 25 finalists hail from 23 different universities, while the group represents 15 Division II leagues across the nation, ranging coast-to-coast, from New York to California. Carson-Newman, out of the South Atlantic Conference (SAC), and Minnesota Duluth from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) each boast two finalists.
 
The SAC, Lone Star Conference and Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) picked up the most overall selections with three. The Heartland Conference, Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC), the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) and the NSIC each had two representatives. The PacWest, Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, California Collegiate Athletic Conference, Northeast 10, Gulf South Conference, Great American Conference (GAC), East Coast Conference and Peach Belt Conference had one finalist.
 
The list will be trimmed down to the top 10 finalists on April 30, while the top three finalists will be selected and released on May 13. The inaugural NFCA Division I National Freshman of the Year trophy will be presented during a live ceremony on May 20 prior to the opening of the Division II National Championship, which is being held in Oklahoma City, Okla., for the first time.
 
LCU leader in team statistical categories
The Lady Chaps have risen statistically within the Heartland Conference while also having an impact nationally. The squad leads the league in batting average (.367), double plays turned per game (.67), doubles per game (1.72), home runs per game (1.61), on base percentage (.453), scoring (8.25) and slugging percentage (.618). Nationally, their marks are good enough to rank second in batting average, slugging percentage and double plays turned per game and fourth in home runs per game, on base percentage and scoring.
 
Hoping to close conference season strong
The 17-2 Lady Chaps are hoping to continue their winning ways within the Heartland to close out the 2015 season. St. Mary's is currently holding down second place with a 14-2 mark, and Texas A&M International is third at 13-5. While LCU and TAMIU each have two conference series remaining, StMU still has seven league games to play. The final standings may very well be determined during the final week of conference play when St. Mary's faces St. Edward's and LCU travels to TAMIU.