TYLER, Texas (May 12, 2022) – No.16 Lubbock Christian University's
Savannah Wysocki had never had a hit against Angelo State in four career meetings prior to their 2022 NCAA Division II South Central Regional meeting, but Thursday Wysocki matched a program single-game hit record with a 5-for-7 performance and was the winning run off a walkoff-single from
Tyla Lee in the bottom of the 13
th inning to help lead No.4-seed LCU to a 6-5 win over No.5-seed No.7 Angelo State at Suddenlink Field. The win moves LCU into a noon contest Friday against top-seeded No.1 UT Tyler.
GAME INFORMATION
Score: LCU 6, ASU 5
Records: LCU (38-10), ASU (38-11)
Location: Tyler, Texas (Suddenlink Field)
Time of Game: 3:27
Weather: 92F, Sunny, Wind: 0-7 MPH to CF
LCU Highlights:
Turning Point:
In the bottom of the 12
th inning, LCU trailed 5-4 and
Kasey Flores stole her second base of the season. The throw to second base on the put-out attempt sailed into centerfield and
Skylar Herrera scored from third base to tie the game at 5-5.
How it Happened:
Angelo State had a promising start, as Ashlyn Lerma walked and stole second base to move into scoring position without an out recorded, but LCU was able to navigate out of the inning without Lerma advancing any further. In the home half of the inning,
Savannah Wysocki reached on a leadoff single and eventually scored on a wild pitch for a 1-0 LCU lead.
Bailey Martinez tied the game in the top of the second inning with a solo home run off the left field foul pole for the Belles. LCU responded in the bottom of the second inning with a pinch-hit bloop single by
Caroline Chilton to regain the lead at 2-1.
In the third, ASU took their first lead of the game, as Paxton Scheurer ended a six-game streak of games without a home run with her 23
rd home run of the season and it was a two-run homer for a 3-2 advantage. The lead didn't last long, as LCU responded with a two-out two-run double down the right field line by
Athena Muniz for a 4-3 LCU lead.
ASU went a span of 12 straight batters without getting a hit until Haylie Mitchell singled and reached base in the top of the seventh inning. She advanced on a stollen base and scored on a Mykayla Stroud single to tie the game at 4-4.
The Belles loaded the bases with one out in the eighth inning, but defensive snags by
Brooke Makemson and
Tyla Lee helped LCU escape the jam with the score remaining tied 4-4.
In the bottom of the 11
th inning, LCU had a chance to win the game, as singles from Muniz, Wysocki and Delrosario loaded the bases with one out, but a pop-up and strikeout was able to get the Belles out of the inning and force a 12
th inning.
In the 12
th, Ashlyn Lerma led off with a single and the Belles eventually scored her off a Lindsey Evans groundout-RBI to give the Belles a 5-4 lead. LCU had to rally in the bottom of the inning.
Skylar Herrera reached base on an error and advanced to second base on a stolen base before
Kasey Flores moved her over with a single to place runners on the corners. Flores broke for second base on a pitch to
Angela Donaldson and the throw to second base went into centerfield and Herrera tied to score the game.
LCU was unable to plate the winning run in the inning, but that changed in the 13
th inning. Wysocki led off with a single, and
Tiarra Delrosario followed with a single and
Brooke Makemson walked to load the bases. It setup the game-winning hit, as
Tyla Lee hit a ground ball that took a wild bounce into the outfield and Wysocki crossed the plate as the winning run.
Inside the Numbers:
- Maxine Valdez started in the circle for LCU but was replaced in the seventh inning (6.2 innings). Taylor Franco came in and pitched the remaining 6.1 innings. Franco claimed the win (20-4) to claim her 20th win of the season. She allowed one run off four hits in her time in the circle.
- Savannah Wysocki was 0-for-14 in her career against ASU (four games) prior to Thursday's 5-for-7 performance. It marks the second consecutive game a Lady Chaps reached a five-hit mark (ties a program record), as Angela Donaldson went 5-for-7 on May 7 in the LSC Championships against Oklahoma Christian.
- The game lasted 13 innings, matching a program record from a 13-inning game played in their last game (May 7 vs. Oklahoma Christian lost 10-9) and from a 13-inning affair on Mar. 1, 2016 at St. Mary's (4-3 loss). LCU was playing in their fourth game ever at Suddenlink Field and they played 10 innings (Mar. 28, 2021) in their first-ever game at the facility (LCU lost at UT Tyler) and 13 innings in each of their last two played in Tyler. The 13-inning contest marked the eighth NCAA Division II game this season to reach at least 13 innings. Two games this season in NCAA Division II play have reached 14 innings.
- The Lady Chaps improved to 18-0 when scoring in the first inning and 30-2 when scoring first overall.
- LCU improved to 9-6 in contests in which they do not hit a home run.
- Pinch hitter Caroline Chilton had been 1-for-12 in pinch hit at-bats until hitting a RBI-single in the second inning.
- Athena Muniz celebrated her birthday Thursday with a pair of hits, including a two-run double for her third double of the season.
- The Lady Chaps, for a second time in the past 21 games, produced an error-free defensive performance. LCU is now 14-1 in error-free games.
- LCU improved to 3-2 this season in extra-inning games.
- The Lady Chaps improved to 8-8 in games against nationally ranked programs and they claimed their fifth win against a top-10 nationally program (highest single-season win total against top-10 programs since 2013).
- LCU moved to 9-2 in one-run games.
- The win moved LCU to an all-time record of 2-4 in NCAA Division II postseason play.
HISTORICAL NOTE
LCU has won two games in a row against Angelo State for the first time ever, and the Lady Chaps are now 3-9 all-time against the Belles. LCU is 2-1 against ASU in neutral site contests and 1-1 at the regional tournament all-time.
WHAT'S NEXT
LCU faces NCAA Division II South Central Region host UT Tyler Friday at noon.
