LUBBOCK, Texas (March 1, 2019) – For a second consecutive Heartland Conference doubleheader series, Lubbock Christian University dropped the opening game and rebounded with a win to split the doubleheader. Friday, LCU dropped the opener 9-4 before a 5-1 victory over Texas A&M International at PlainsCapital Park.
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Game 1: TAMIU 9, LCU 4 | Game 2: LCU 5, TAMIU 1
Records: LCU (11-4, 2-2), TAMIU (7-12, 1-3)
Location: Lubbock, Texas (PlainsCapital Park)
Time of Game: Game 1: 2:07 | Game 2: 1:31
Weather: Game 1: 60-degrees, cloudy/calm | Game 2: 76-degrees, cloudy/calm
Game 1 vs. TAMIU
LCU Highlights:
- KK Lopez-Liu hit a double as part of a 3-for-4 performance at the plate with an RBI.
- Morgan Dufour hit her 47th career home run and it places her in a tie for second on the Heartland Conference's career home run list.
- Megan Darling was 2-for-3.
- Logan Grado collected her team-leading fourth pinch-hit base hit, and it was produced with the bases loaded.
Turning Point:
Back-to-back infield errors in the top of the sixth inning allowed TAMIU to extend a 5-4 lead to 8-4 with a trio of unearned runs.
How it Happened:
- Svannah Wysocki opened the bottom of the first inning with a triple, which led to a two-out infield single by KK Lopez-Liu to give LCU the opening lead of the game (1-0).
- Gabrielle Mitchell hit a two-run two-out single to cap a three-run top of the second inning for the Dustdevils, who led 3-1.
- Dufour homered in the second inning and Lopez-Liu tied the game 3-3 in the third inning off a single hit by K'leigh Arredondo.
- Maddison Schofield regained the lead with an RBI in the fifth inning and it was the first of two TAMIU runs in the inning, as they led 5-3.
- Grado's pinch hit with the bases loaded and two outs came in the bottom of the fifth inning and it cut LCU's deficit to one run (LCU trailed 5-4).
- TAMIU only had one hit in the sixth inning, but the pair of errors and a walk were capitalized on late in the inning with Schoffield capping a 2-for-4 game and a pair of runs-batted-in with an RBI-single to cap the three-run inning. TAMIU added an insurance run in the seventh inning with a Denise Longoria pinch-hit RBI-single.
Inside the Numbers:
- Despite losing, LCU had three extra-base hits compared to none for the Dustdevils, who had 11 singles in the game.
- Dufour's 47th career home run tied LCU's Sydney Beuthien, who had 47 homers from 2015-2018, for a share of the second-most in Heartland Conference history.
- Like LCU's loss to Newman, which was also the first game of a Heartland Conference doubleheader, LCU had 13 fly outs Friday (they had 14 in the opening game loss to Newman last week).
- TAMIU had a 15-9 advantage in at-bats with a runner in scoring position (TAMIU was 5-for-15 in the scenario, while LCU was 4-for-9).
- The win was TAMIU's first win Lubbock, as they were 0-6 in Lubbock prior to the game.
Game 2 vs. TAMIU
LCU Highlights:
Turning Point:
All five LCU runs were scored with two outs, including a three-run fourth inning, which helped LCU extend a 2-0 lead to 5-0.
How it Happened:
- Avilia Villarreal and Megan Darling scored with two outs in the first inning off a two-run single by K'leigh Arredondo.
- In the bottom of the fourth inning and LCU leading 2-0, Annika Schwartzenberg pinch hit and drove in a pair of runs with a single to centerfield. Wysocki followed with a two-out triple for her second triple of the day.
- Maddison Schofield hit a solo home run in the sixth inning to avoid the shutout.
Inside the Numbers:
- Wysocki's two triples on the day gives the freshman four triples on the season. LCU has eight as a team.
- Lindzi Clemmer extended her number of career starts to 180, which places her fifth in program history, passing Stephanie Rendon, who had 179 starts from 2010-2013.
- Alexa Riggs had her team-leading hit streak (active leading) end at seven games.
- Amber Carlton made relief outings in both games Friday, combining to allow one run off five hits in 2.1 innings. She has allowed one run in her last three combined outings, which spans 4.1 innings.
- On the day, LCU was 2-for-3 with the bases loaded and they are now 25-for-48 (.521) with the bases loaded this season.
- TAMIU was 0-for-7 getting the leadoff batter aboard and 1-for-10 in at-bats with at least one runner on base.
- LCU combined for 53 at-bats in the doubleheader and they struck out one at the plate.
Up Next:
LCU is scheduled to face West Texas A&M Tuesday in Canyon, Texas, but with below normal temperatures expected, there could be changes.