LUBBOCK, Texas (April 2, 2015) – Lubbock Christian jumped back into Heartland Conference action Thursday after following a pair of disappointing losses two days prior at #2 West Texas A&M to twice run-rule Oklahoma Panhandle State in five innings by scores of 11-2 and 12-4 lifted by a pair of home runs from each Sydney Beuthien and Jessica Loiacano.
 
The two wins kept the Lady Chaps (26-9, 15-1 Heartland) in first place within the Heartland, as St. Mary's defeated Texas A&M International in a doubleheader for an 11-2 record to move up to the second slot while TAMIU dropped to third with a mark of 13-4.
 
LCU took advantage of the Aggies (9-27, 1-13 Heartland) early on, plating themselves and earning a run with three walks, a balk and a wild pitch to set up Molly Davison three-run double to put the Lady Chaps up 4-0 in the first. The home team added another two runs on Beuthien's deep shot down the left field line before Loiacano notched a home run over right center to score herself and Sammie Murrietta, doubling the Lady Chap lead to 8-0 in inning number two.
 
Kelsey Hoppel, Taylan Halsell and Haley Hardison recorded successive singles in the third, and Hardison's placement of her ball to right center scored Hoppel, while a Jacie Thomason single through the left side brought Halsell around for a double-digit Lady Chap lead. A hit by Roxy Curiel was extended by an OPSU fielding error that gave Hardison time to come home and extend the lead to 11-0.
 
Courtney McGee, who did not allow any Aggie runs, was replaced by Abbi White in the circle and continued the Lady Chap shutout in the fourth. Attempting to extend the game past five innings, OPSU placed runners on first and third per a walk and single down the left field line. A Michaela MacGillivray RBI single up the middle scored the first Aggie run of the day, and teammate Brooklyne Bolton followed suit with an RBI single to center field, but the pair of runs was not enough as LCU took game one.
 
McGee (14-4) recorded the win on four hits, one walk and three strikeouts.
 
Beuthien and Loiacano mirrored their efforts in the second contest, both tallying a second home run in the first inning, and Liz Torres knocked one out as well to quickly put the Lady Chaps up 3-0. The Aggies evened the score in the third with the help of an LCU wild pitch and fielding error that equated in a run before a triple and second wild pitch added the other two scores.
 
Kelsey Hoppel took Ashton Bell's place at pitcher in the fourth and retired the first three OPSU batters. The Lady Chaps upped their lead in the bottom of the frame on a Davison single, a Katlin Reed walk and doubles by Addison Ard and Beuthien for a 6-3 cushion.
 
With the Aggie bases loaded in the fifth, Hoppel struck Samantha Arledge for an OPSU score, but the Lady Chaps were able to catch Darcie Wilson out at home and end the inning on a fielder's choice. Singles by Loiacano and Torres started the LCU offense in bottom of the fifth, and an Aggie throwing error scored pinch runner Abi Poe. Another single by Faith Koria drove in a pair of runs, and an RBI single from Buethien increased the lead to 10-4. Needing two runs to conclude the game, Murrietta came through with a double to right center for the eight run victory.
 
Hoppel (7-2) registered the win with two hits, a walk and a strikeout.
 
The squads wrap up the series tomorrow in a single game at PlainsCapital Park scheduled for 1 p.m.