WACO, Texas (January 25, 2019)
– The 2019 Heartland Conference Softball Preseason Poll and Preseason All-Conference s
elections were announced and Lubbock Christian University is preseason picked third, with
Lindzi Clemmer (second base),
Morgan Dufour (third base) and K'Leigh Arredondo (outfield) claiming preseason honors.
For one of the few times, LCU will attempt to prove the voters wrong. The Lady Chaps, who have been picked first in three of the four prior preseason polls (this is their fifth season to be included in a Heartland Conference Preseason Poll), are picked to finish below second place for the first time ever. LCU is picked third behind top-pick St. Mary's and Oklahoma Christian. Lubbock Christian was one of four programs to receive at least one first-place vote, with St. Mary's claiming nine first-place votes. OC edged out LCU by two voting-points before there was separation with Rogers State picked fourth.
The Lady Chaps went 31-17 last season, which included a solid 22-3 record at PlainsCapital Park, where LCU opens their first nine games of the upcoming 2019 season. LCU finished 18-12 in the Heartland Conference standings last season, in a share of third place.
Despite the No.3 spot in the preseason poll, LCU led the conference in Preseason All-Conference selections with three student-athletes recognized. Senior and reigning Heartland Conference Player of the Year
Lindzi Clemmer headlines the list, with Dufour and K'Leigh Arredonda also claiming spots on the list of 11 players.
Clemmer has been consistent over her prior three seasons at LCU. In 166 career games, the infielder from Snyder Texas has hit at least .342 in all three seasons and has a career .345 batting average. The three-time All-Heartland Conference First Team selection has 19 career home runs and 14 came last season. She hit .348 last season (second in the conference) with a .708 slugging mark (second in the conference) and 56 hits (eighth in the conference) leading 54 RBI (second in the conference). Clemmer, who finished second in the conference in runs last season (45), holds the Heartland Conference single-game record
for runs (5 on Apr. 8, 2016).
Dufour was LCU's home run leader and ranked 13
th nationally with 16 home runs last season. A native of Red Oak, Texas, Dufour led the conference in home runs per game (.33, which ranked 10
th nationally), on-base percentage (.467), slugging (.781, which ranked 26
th nationally) and ranked third in RBI per game (.90). Overall, Dufour hit .313 in 48 games, leading to First Team All-Conference honors. It was her first season with LCU after playing at St. Edward's the prior two seasons. She heads into this season with 44 career home runs.
Arredondo is LCU returning leader in batting, producing a conference-leading .397 average last season in 32 games played (22 starts). In 68 at-bats, Arredondo had 27 hits and drew 12 walks for a team-leading .494 on-base percentage. The senior from Lubbock, Texas also had a .967 fielding percentage.
LCU opens their season hosting the TAJ Hospitality College Softball Kickoff Feb.1 at PlainsCapital Park. They open hosting Texas-Permian Basin at 6 p.m. LCU will play five games over the Feb. 1-3 weekend of games.
