LUBBOCK, Texas (April 16, 2015) – Five home runs by four Lady Chaps paced Lubbock Christian to a pair of non-conference wins over Eastern New Mexico on Thursday afternoon at PlainsCapital Park by scores of 6-5 and 9-2 to extend LCU's all-time record to 15-0 over the Zias.
LCU (32-11) has won every contest over ENMU (16-26) dating to the 2010 season. Heading into the contest, the Lady Chaps' 1.56 home runs per game led the Heartland Conference and were ranked third in Division II.
Katlin Reed was credited with the first score of the day in the bottom of the third on a shot over the left field fence for a 1-0 Lady Chap lead. Kyra Sirag of ENMU answered in the fourth with her own home run to right center to knot the game at 1-1. Audrey Velasquez walked and advanced to second on a Susannah Chandler single to left center. Morgan Green then made her way to first after a bobbled ball by
Molly Davison as Velasquez scored to put the Zias up 2-1.
Liz Torres registered a single in the bottom of the fourth and scored on an
Ashton Bell homer to left field to give the lead back to the Lady Chaps at 3-2. ENMU pieced together a string of offense the top of the fifth, beginning with a single by Sirag before Velasquez reached on a fielder's choice. A Green single on a full count scored Velasquez to even the score at 3-3, and an Aurelia Sandoval double to right center brought a pair of Zias around for a 5-3 ENMU advantage.
With two outs recorded in the bottom of the fifth,
Sammie Murrietta singled up the middle, and
Jessica Loiacano homered to center field to tie the contest at five each. Davison singled to center to as the leadoff in the sixth, and
Jenny Rigney replaced her as a pinch runner. On the pitch to
Pam Pence, Rigney scampered to second while knocking the ball away from the second baseman, giving her time to make it to third. Pence's infield shot brought Rigney around for the 6-5 LCU lead. The Lady Chaps did not allow the Zias to score in the seventh to conclude game one.
Hoppel (10-3) secured the win on 12 hits, a walk and three strikeouts.
ENMU struck first in the second game by scoring on a wild pitch in inning one before a center field home run by
Sammie Murrietta in the bottom of the frame tied the game at one-all.
Courtney McGee made her first appearance at the place and was greeted by being hit by a pitch and advanced to third following a
Faith Koria double to right field. A sacrifice fly ball by
Sydney Beuthien ended up being thrown towards the LCU dugout to push both runners home and put the Lady Chaps up 3-1.
The Zias inched closer with a score in the sixth, but LCU added a barrage of runs to blow open the game. Reed tallied her second home run of the afternoon on a two-run blast to left field for a 5-2 Lady Chap lead. Back-to-back hits by McGee and Hoppel set up an RBI single by Koria to score McGee, and a Beuthien double to right center brought home Koria and Hoppel to up the lead to 8-2. Murrietta added to the damage by singling down the left field line to score Beuthien and lengthen the lead to 9-2.
McGee (17-5) earned the win on five hits, three walks and three strikeouts.
The Lady Chaps have a break from conference play this weekend and again take the field on Tuesday for a 1 p.m. doubleheader against University of the Southwest. LCU will be honoring seniors Koria, Loiacano and McGee between games.
