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22_SB_GameDay_47

Lady Chaps Open Quarterfinals Saturday in Tyler Facing Familiar Foe

| By: Chris Due (chris.due@lcu.edu)

LCU and OC Meeting For 56th Time All-Time, But First Time in LSC Postseason

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TYLER, Texas (May 7, 2022) – No.13 Lubbock Christian University heads to the 2022 Lone Star Conference Championship as the No.3-seed and opens the 10-team single elimination tournament Saturday in the Quarterfinals facing No.6-seed No.19 Oklahoma Christian at 11 a.m. at Suddenlink Field on the campus of UT Tyler.
LONE STAR CONFERENCE SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS
OPPONENT LOCATION CITY TIME WATCH STATS LCU STATS OPP. STATS
OC Suddenlink Field Tyler, Texas 11 a.m. Video Stats Season Season
TAMUK* Suddenlink Field Tyler, Texas 4 p.m. Video Stats Season Season

* - If LCU Wins vs. OC

WUNDERGROUND WEATHER: Sunshine and some clouds. Near record high temperatures. High 89F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.

WATCH ONLINE: LSC Digital Network (Online or via OTT apps including Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Android TV and Roku devices by searching "LSC Digital Network.")

TOURNAMENT WEBSITE

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The Scenario
  • If LCU defeats Oklahoma Christian, LCU will play again Friday in a Semifinals contest at 4 p.m. against No.2 Texas A&M-Kingsville. If LCU is able to go 2-0 on Friday, they will advance to Saturday's 2 p.m. Championship Game.
  • Any loss would eliminate LCU from the tournament and place their NCAA Division II South Central Regional sights towards an at-large bid during Monday's NCAA Selection Show.
 
LCU and OC Series Snapshot
  • LCU leads the all-time series over OC, 37-18, with LCU sweeping OC (8-7-4-3) in a pair of road games in Oklahoma City (Mar. 4) to end a seven-game win streak in the series by OC. The 55 all-time meetings marks OC as LCU's most common opponent all-time, but despite the history this meeting marks their first in an LSC postseason contest.
  • Prior to this season, 10 meetings between the two teams featured head-to-head battles between brothers Daren and Shanon Hays (former LCU softball head coach). The two had gone head-to-head as Shanon had stops at Colorado Christian and Oklahoma Christian, but Shanon, also a former Texas Tech softball head coach, is now in Phoenix, Ariz. serving as the head coach at Grand Canyon.
  • The two squads have met nine times in conference tournaments all-time, with the two squads splitting a six-game history in the Heartland Conference tournaments 3-3 and LCU owning a 3-0 all-time record against the Lady Eagles in the Sooner Athletic Conference tournaments to place them 6-3 all-time against the Lady Eagles in conference postseason play.
  • LCU is 7-3 all-time against OC in neutral site games, with OC winning the last three neutral site tilts
  • Kasey Flores is 3-for-5 with a double, home run and four RBI in two meetings against OC this season.
  • Savannah Wysocki has played 13 career games against OC and is hitting .354 with a 17 hits against OC.
  • Taylor Franco is 1-0 with a 1.05 ERA this season against OC. She has made six career appearances against the Lady Eagles and has a career 2.39 ERA in 29.1 innings and OC has hit .231 all-time against her.
 
How is the Team Doing?
  • LCU is 37-9 this season and finished 23-7 in LSC play. They had an 18-game win streak earlier on the season, which was their longest win streak since a 19-game win streak since 2014.
  • The Lady Chaps are hitting .343 as a team (13th nationally), with 62 home runs (ninth nationally and seventh in home runs per game, 1.35) and 67 doubles (total ranks 88th nationally and their rate of 1.46 per game ranks 87th nationally) in 46 games. LCU averages 7.2 runs a contest (14th nationally).
  • In the circle, LCU has an ERA of 2.50 (42nd nationally). Opponents are hitting .212 against LCU this season (second in the LSC).
  • The Lady Chaps are 20th in shutouts, with 12, and five of LCU's shutouts are no-hitters. LCU co-leads the nation with five no-hitters.
  • LCU is 13th nationally in stolen bases per game (2.61) and 171st in fielding percentage (.951). They are 25th nationally with 19 double plays turned.
 
Who is Doing What?
  • Lone Star Conference All-Conference Recipients (additional honors listed)… Nine Lady Chaps honored marks the most since they had 10 all-conference selections in 2013.
  • Taylor Franco claimed LSC Pitcher of the Year honors, marking the second time an LCU pitcher has received a conference pitcher of the year award in program history (Katera Eltsosie claimed Sooner Athletic Conference pitcher of the Year honors in 2013). The senior (has an additional season of eligibility) is a member of the Top-50 Watch List for the Player & Pitcher of the Year by Schutt Sports and the NFCA. She is 19-4 this season, which has her co-leading the Lone Star Conference and entering the week ranked tied for 21st nationally in victories. A two-time LSC Pitcher of the Week has a program career record in no-hitters (five) and a single-season record with four this season (including a no-hitter over No.1 UT Tyler Mar. 27). She became the 18th pitcher in Division II history to complete at least four no-hitters in a single season and she is joined by Katie Burawski of Bridgeport as the only players this season in Division II to complete four no-hitters. Her no-hitters are part of eight shutouts this season (program has 12 and ranks 20th nationally), which has her with a program-record 22 in her LCU career (ranks eighth among active Division II pitchers). Franco ranks second in the LSC in hits allowed per seven innings (4.65, 31st nationally) and is second in complete games (15), sixth in WHIP (1.01) and strikeouts (135) and eighth in ERA (2.02). Entering the LSC Championships, Franco has 54 wins in her LCU career, which is third in program history and tied for 21st among active Division II players. She also ranks second all-time in program history in appearances (98, 31st among active Division II pitchers), complete games (49), pitching starts (80, 23rd among active Division II pitchers), innings pitched (488.0, 29th among active Division II pitchers) and strikeouts (408, 35th among active Division II pitchers) and tied for second in saves (7, 12th among active Division II pitchers). Over her career, Franco has a 2.02 ERA (30th among active Division II pitchers) and a pace of 5.83 strikeouts per seven innings (29th among active Division II pitchers).
  • Pitcher Maxine Valdez is 13-3 this season with a 2.13 ERA in 111.2 innings pitched. She ranks seventh in the LSC in hits allowed per seven innings (5.2) and seventh in the LSC in strikeouts with 125 (8.4 per seven innings ranks third in the LSC and 40th nationally). During an Apr. 1 contest at Texas Woman's, Valdez completed her second career no-hitter, which was the program's 23rd all-time and fifth of the season.
  • Savannah Wysocki has seven triples on the season and 22 in her LCU career, which actively leads NCAA Division II in career triples. The seven triples on the season ranks sixth in all of Division II. Wysocki, with 28 stolen bases this season, has 86 in her career, ranking 16th among active career NCAA Division II leaders (all-time leader in program history). The El Paso, Texas native's 28 stolen bases this season ranks 28th nationally (second in the LSC).
  • Angela Donaldson enters the series leading LCU hitting .442 on the season, which ranks second in the LSC. She ranks eighth in the LSC in on-base percentage (.489) and has racked up a perfect 16-for-16 in stolen base attempts.
  • Tyla Lee is hitting .380 on the season. She has posted 54 hits and 44 RBI (18 with two outs). She ranks ninth in the LSC in RBI and is 10th in hit-by-pitch (7).
  • LCU has six LSC weekly honors this season. Taylor Franco (Pitcher, Feb. 15, Mar. 28), Tyla Lee (Hitter, Feb. 22 and Mar. 8) and Kasey Flores (Hitter, Mar. 1 and May 2) have each claimed weekly accolades this season.
  • Kasey Flores leads LCU in home runs with 17 (second in the LSC and seventh nationally). Flores sits 14th actively among NCAA Division II leaders in home runs with 40 (the mark includes her UTEP totals). She has 52 RBI this season (tied for fourth in the LSC), with a team-leading 24 produced with two outs. She is the reigning LSC Hitter of the Week.
  • Skylar Herrera is second on the squad with 11 homers (seventh in the LSC) and has 13 stolen bases on the season (51 in her career). Herrera ranks 13th in the LSC with a .679 slugging mark and she has 11 multi-RBI games this season.
  • LCU is 20th nationally in triples (17), with Savannah Wysocki sixth in the nation with seven triples and Brooke Makemson behind her with four triples (tied for sixth in the LSC).
  • Tyla Lee leads LCU in multi-hit games (16), as Brooke Makemson and Angela Donaldson are each behind her in the category with 15. Kasey Flores leads LCU with 13 multi-RBI games, with Makemson (12) and Skylar Herrera behind Flores in the category.

Season Expectations
  • The Lady Chaps are preseason picked to finish seventh in the Lone Star Conference.
  • LCU is in their eighth season playing a NCAA Division II schedule (2013 was their last season in NAIA) and this is their third season as members of the Lone Star Conference.
  • There are 16 softball programs in the LSC this season. The major difference from last season to this season is UT Tyler is postseason eligible.

Coach Talk
  • LCU head coach Daren Hays is in his 12th season at the helm of the Lady Chaps.
  • Hays is LCU's winningest softball head coach, entering the weekend with a softball record of 484-154.
  • Along with surpassing 475 coaching wins in softball, Hays had surpassed 350 wins as a collegiate baseball head coach. He spent eight seasons as the LCU baseball head coach and compiled a 356-163 record.

Neutralize
  • LCU is 6-2 this season in neutral site contests.
  • The Lady Chaps are hitting .346 (10 home runs) in neutral site tilts, and contributing a 2.77 ERA in the circle (opponents hitting .220).  
  • Tyla Lee (15-for-26) is leading LCU with a .577 average in neutral site games.
  • Lee leads LCU in neutral site games with 12 RBI and has a .962 slugging mark.
  • Maxine Valdez has a 2.52 ERA with a 4-1 record and 29 strikeouts in 25.0 innings. Taylor Franco is 2-0 with a 2.85 ERA at neutral sites.
 
Lone Star Conference Championships Breakdown
  • This season is LCU's second tournament appearance in the LSC Championships (of two eligible seasons, as there was no tournament in 2020).
  • Previously, LCU qualified for four Heartland Conference Championships, winning the tournament twice (2016, 2017) and compiling a 10-5 tournament record all-time.
  • LCU is 0-1 all-time in the LSC Championships, as they fell 5-3 last season to St. Edward's.
  • Skylar Herrera was 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI last season in the tournament.
  • Taylor Franco pitched 2.0 scoreless innings last season in a relief outing of the championships.

Lone Star Conference Breakdown
  • This season is LCU's third season in the LSC.
  • LCU is 45-23 all-time in LSC play.
  • The Lady Chaps went 23-7 this season in conference contests. They opened conference play 4-0 for their best conference start since 2015. Their 23-7 record in LSC play led to a share of second place in the LSC standings.
  • LCU had at least 20 conference wins for the first time since 2013 and for the sixth time in program history.
  • They hit .338 in conference, with 41 home runs and an average of 7.0 runs per game. In the circle, they had a 2.86 ERA and opponents hit .220.
  • Angela Donaldson led LCU in conference play, hitting .432 in conference (35 hits, which trailed only Tiarra Delrosario, who had 38).
  • Kasey Flores had 38 RBI in LSC play and is led LCU with 12 home runs in conference.
  • Taylor Franco (11-4) led LCU in conference in wins in the circle. Mattye Tyler (5-1) and Maxine Valdez (7-2) have combined for 12 conference wins. Valdez leads LCU with a 2.20 ERA in conference, with Franco holding a 2.45 ERA in LSC play (opponents hitting .184 against Franco) and has three saves in conference.

National Notes
  • The Lady Chaps went 8-0 last season against nationally ranked programs in 2020, but went 2-10 against nationally ranked programs in 2021.
  • LCU is 7-7 this season against nationally ranked programs. They have four wins against top-10 programs, which is the most since 2015.
  • Top 25 Wins:
    • No.14 Rogers State (13-5 in five innings on Feb. 20 in Oklahoma City)
    • No.18 Oklahoma Christian (doubleheader sweep on Friday, 4-3 and 8-7).
    • Mar. 12, they defeated No.6 West Texas A&M at home.
    • Mar. 27, they no-hit No.1 UT Tyler at home.
    • No.7 Texas A&M-Kingsville (4-3 on Apr. 8 in Kingsville, Texas)
    • No.7 Angelo State (9-4 on Apr. 30 at home)
  • On Mar.1, LCU made their debut in the NFCA national Top-25 rankings, debuting at No.15. They moved up to No.10 on Mar. 21 for their best ranking since joining NCAA Division II (2016 season). They enter this week ranked No.13.
  • The NCAA Division II South Central Region Rankings' third week of rankings have LCU at No.2 for a third consecutive week.
 
Streaking Along
  • Brooke Makemson and Athena Muniz each co-lead LCU actively on a five-game hit streak. Delrosario has the longest hit streak this season at 17 games.
  • Savannah Wysocki actively leads LCU with a eight-game streak of reaching base safely (She had a 25-game streak earlier this season for the longest streak this season).

In Summary
  • LCU has a 43-21 scoring advantage in the first inning, with their highest offensive output coming in the fifth innings as they have 66 runs in the inning (outscoring foes 66-17 in the inning).
  • The Lady Chaps have scored in the first inning in 17 games this season and are 17-0 when doing so. LCU is 29-2 when scoring first.
  • LCU is 29-4 this season when they hit at least one home run in a game (17-0 when hitting two or more in a game).
  • The Lady Chaps are 13-1 this season when error free.
  • In tight contests, LCU has an 8-1 record in one-run games.

Looking at OC
  • The Lady Eagles claimed the No.6-seed by posting a 22-8 conference record (they are 38-12 overall). They went 38-9 last season, leading the LSC with a 26-4 conference mark. They qualified for the NCAA Division II South Central Regional.
  • OC is hitting .323 this season and have 22 home runs on the season. They have a staff ERA of 2.21 and opponents are hitting .210 against them (leads LSC).
  • With Shanon Hays departing for Grand Canyon in the offseason, Shalee Rodriguez accepted the promotion within and is serving as the new OC head coach. There is still a Hays around, as Shanon's son Hunter Hays is serving as an assistant.
  • OC is preseason picked fourth in the LSC Preseason Poll. They are nationally ranked No.19 and have won their last two games.
  • The Lady Eagles co-lead the nation in triples with 32. Kylie Janzen leads OC in triples with eight, which ranks third nationally.
  • Brooklin Bain, a First Team All-Conference selection that also a star on the hardwood for the women's basketball team, ranks sixth nationally in runs per game with 1.26 per contest.
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