WICHITA FALLS, Texas (April 3, 2022) – No.17 Lubbock Christian University infielder Skylar Herrera had a pair of home runs in the second game of a Lone Star Conference doubleheader at Midwestern State, as she helped the Lady Chaps overcome a 3-0 deficit with a 5-4 win to complete a sweep at Mustangs Park. Taylor Franco claimed the win in relief and it was her second win of the afternoon, as she was the winning pitcher in LCU's 11-2 win (5 innings) in the opener.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Score:  Game 1: LCU 11, MSU 2 (Final in 5 inn.) | Game 2: LCU 5, MSU 4
Records: LCU (30-6, 16-4), MSU (6-29, 5-15)
Location: Wichita Falls, Texas (Mustangs Park)
Time of Game: Game 1: 1:41, Game 2: 2:24
Weather: Game 1: 73F Sunny (Wind 20 to LF), Game 2: 81F Sunny (Wind 24 to LF)
 
Game 1

LCU Highlights:

• Caroline Chilton – 3-for-3, 2B, HR, RBI
• Brooke Makemson – 2-for-4, HR, 4RBI
• Savannah Wysocki– 3-for-4, 2B, RBI

Turning Point:
The first four batters in the top of the third inning reached base safely, capped by a three-run home run by Brooke Makemson, which led to the first four runs of an eight-run inning for LCU.

How it Happened:
LCU played from behind early, as the Mustangs opened with a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning after a two-out single from Peyton Lee. The Lady Chaps responded in the top of the second inning with a leadoff home run by Kasey Flores.
 
LCU would take the lead in the top of the third inning with an eight-run inning. The first four natters reached, which included an RBI single from Tiarra Delrosario and a three-run home run from Makemson for a 5-1 advantage. Singles from Angela Donaldson and Savannah Wysocki helped add to the scoring to complete the frame with LCU leading 9-1.
 
MSU grabbed a run in the bottom of the third inning, but the Lady Chaps put the game out of reach in the fifth inning. Caroline Chilton led off the inning with a home run and Makemson closed the scoring and a 4-RBI game with a RBI-single. The Mustangs were unable to score to prolong the game in the home-half of the inning.
    
Inside the Numbers:

• Taylor Franco claimed the complete-game win, allowing two hits and striking out seven in 5.0 innings. Franco's complete game was her 11^th of the season and 45^th of her career.
• Kasey Flores' leadoff dinger in the second inning was her team-leading 12^th home run on the season (third of the weekend) and places her with 35 career home runs. She is 17^th in active career home leaders in NCAA Division II. Of her 12 home runs, six have come with two outs and five have come when LCU has either trailed or were tied at the time of the home run.
• Brooke Makemson homered for the eighth time this season and the 18^th time of her LCU career.
• Carline Chilton had a career-high three hits in her 3-for-3 performance, which included her second double and home run of the season.
• The Lady Chaps were 8-for-16 (.500) with runners on base and 8-for-14 (.571) with runners in scoring position. They were able to get the leadoff batter aboard in four of the five innings.

 
Game 2

LCU Highlights:

• Skylar Herrera – 3-for-4, 2 HR, 3 Runs, 3 RBI
• Angela Donaldson – 3-for-4, 2 RBI, 2B
• Taylor Franco – win in relief, 1.2 innings, 0 hits allowed

Turning Point:
With the score tied 4-4 in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Mustangs had the bases loaded with one out. Taylor Franco forced Payton Griffin into a 5-3 double play and LCU escaped out of the inning with the score tied.  

How it Happened:
The Mustangs struck first with runs in each of the first three innings. Ashley Turner opened the scoring leading off the bottom of the first inning with a home run. Hanna Hetherington had a two-out single in the second inning and a sacrifice fly by Dayland Inkman in the third inning capped the 3-0 start.
 
In the top of the fourth inning, Skylar Herrera hit a leadoff home run to get LCU on the scoreboard. Angela Donaldson and Athena Muniz each reached base and moved into scoring position with one out, but LCU was unable to cut into the deficit any further in the fourth inning and trailed 3-1. With one out in the fifth inning, Brooke Makemson, Kasey Flores and Skylar Herrera each singled to set up a two-run double by Donaldson, which placed LCU with a 4-3 lead.
 
Midwestern State transfer Mattye Tyler replaced starter Maxine Valdez in the sixth inning, but her former squad chipped away and eventually loaded the bases. LCU went to the bullpen and placed Taylor Franco in a relief outing. A bases loaded walk yielded the tying run and kept the bases loaded with one out. Franco was able to get the next batter, Payton Griffin, to hit a grounder to third base, resulting in a 5-3-double play.
 
Herrera hit her second leadoff home run of the game in the seventh inning and it was the go-ahead homer to put LCU back up 5-4. In the bottom of the seventh inning, the Mustangs were retired in order, with Franco striking out the final two batters faced.

Inside the Numbers:

• Starter Maxine Valdez went without a decision after logging 5.0 innings of work (struck out six batters in her 5.0 innings). Taylor Franco collected the win for her second of the day, which has her with 17 wins (17-1) on the season (52 in her career) and leads the Lone Star Conference wins.
• Skylar Herrera produced her first multi-home run game of the season and the second of her career. She joins Tyla Lee (Feb. 20 vs. Rogers State) In multi-home run games this season. The pair of leadoff home runs (three leadoff home runs on the season) places her with 10 home runs on the season and 22 in her LCU career. She wrapped up the day 4-for-6 at the plate, with 10 total bases and three RBI.
• Brooke Makemson had a single to extend her hit streak to eight games, and it has her streak of reaching base safely extended to 14 games.
• LCU extended their mark on the season to 6-4 when their opponent scores in the first inning and 7-5 when the opponent scores first overall. MSU scored in the first inning in both games Sunday.
• The Lady Chaps improved to 7-1 in one-run games.
• LCU improved to 13-0 this season in road games. LCU's best single-season record in road games is 12-1 from 2012, and their single-season high mark for road wins is 15 road wins from 2010.

 
HISTORICAL NOTE
LCU improved to 6-2 all-time against Texas Woman's, and LCU is now 2-0 all-time against TWU in Denton (LCU was making their first-ever trip to Denton).
 
 
WHAT'S NEXT:
LCU has now won four straight meetings against MSU and they have a 5-4 all-time series lead over the Mustangs. Sunday's meetings marked the first meetings in Wichita Falls between the two programs.