LUBBOCK, Texas (February 17, 2023) – No.2 UT Tyler's Tatum Goff pitched a complete game one-hit shutout in the opening game of a Lone Star Conference doubleheader against No.8 Lubbock Christian, as she out-dueled Taylor Franco's three-hit performance in a 1-0 Patriots win. Offense came alive in the second game for UTT, as they completed the doubleheader sweep with a 12-4 win in five innings against the Lady Chaps.

GAME INFORMATION
Score: Game 1 – UTT 1, LCU 0 | Game 2 – UTT 12, LCU 4
Records: LCU (10-3, 0-2), UTT (9-1, 2-0)
Location: Lubbock, Texas (Maner Park)
Time of Game: Game 1 - 1:40 | Game 2 – 1:35
Weather: Game 1 - 47-Partly Cloudy (Wind-4 MPH to CF) | Game 2 – 51-Fair (Wind-4 MPH to LCF)
 
Game 1

LCU Highlights:

• Taylor Franco – 7.0 innings, no earned runs off three hits, 8 strikeouts
• Riley Lunsford – 1-for-2, 2B

Turning Point:
Riley Lunsford broke up the no-hit bid leading off the bottom of the sixth inning with a double to left-centerfield, which put the tying run aboard with nobody out. Goff would retire the next three batters, as the tying run remained at second base.

How it Happened:
UTT leadoff batter JT Smith reached on a leadoff infield error in the top of the first inning. Smith worked her way around to third base and eventually scored on a play in which the trail runner, Cassidi Mullen purposely forced a rundown. They traded an out for a run and it proved to be the better choice, as it represented the only run of the game.

Inside the Numbers:

• Taylor Franco notched her 55^th career complete game (fifth this season) and the loss has her with a 3-2 record this season and 59-26 in her career. Franco struck out eight batters and allowed one hit over the final 16 batters she faced (retired the final seven she faced).
• The one-hitter marked LCU's fewest hits in a game since West Florida held them to one hit on Jan. 20, 2021.

 
Game 2

LCU Highlights:

• Kasey Flores – 1-for-2, HR, 3 RBI
• Berkeley Quinn – 1-for-2, 2B, RBI
• Riley Lunsford – 1-for-2, 2B

Turning Point:
Four wild pitches, three walks and a hit batsman in the top of the second inning led to an eight-run inning, as the Patriots also added eight hits in the frame.

How it Happened:
UTT scored the first nine runs in the game. Eight of the runs came in the second inning, as the Patriots sent 11 batters to the plate. Smith launched a three-run home run in the inning. Victoria Owens had LCU's first hit of the game with two outs in the second inning, and followed by scoring home from first base on a double hit to left-centerfield by Berkeley Quinn. LCU followed with a three-run third inning, with the offense supplied by a two-out three-run home run by Kasey Flores to cut their deficit to 11-4. UTT put in relief pitcher Shea O'Leary and the former Texas Longhorn had an unblemished 2.1 innings of work.

Inside the Numbers:

• Maxine Valdez suffered her first loss of the season (4-1).
• Kasey Flores, entering the game tied for 11^th among active career home run leaders in NCAA softball (all levels), connected on her team-leading fifth home run this season and her 45^th collegiate home run.
• On the afternoon, LCU had seven at-bats with runners in scoring position and went 1-for-7 on the day. Flores' home run was LCU's only hit with runners in scoring position. Meanwhile, UTT was 5-for-8 at the plate with runners in scoring position, with JT Smith 2-for-2 in at-bats with runners in scoring position.
• LCU dropped to 0-2 in LSC play. They last started 0-2 in conference in 2021, as they dropped a pair of games in a doubleheader at Oklahoma Christian.

 
HISTORICAL NOTE
UTT improved their all-time record to 6-3 against LCU, extending their win steak in the series to four games. The Patriots are also 3-1 against LCU in Lubbock.

WHAT'S NEXT:
The Lady Chaps and Patriots wrap up their three-game LSC series Saturday at noon at Maner Park.