SILVER CITY, N.M. (March 21, 2023) – In a pair of games Lubbock Christian University's starting pitching did not allow a hit in the first four innings, it was Tiarra Delrosario's four hits on the afternoon that proved worth, as she had a grand slam in the ninth inning to propel the No.11 Lady Chaparrals to a 5-1 victory before a pair of doubles in LCU's 9-1 nightcap win to complete the Lone Star Conference doubleheader sweep over Western New Mexico at Mustang Field.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Game 1: LCU 5, WNMU 1 (9 inn.) / Game 2: LCU 9, WNMU 1 (5inn.)
Records: LCU (26-8, 16-7), WNMU (3-25, 1-19)
Location: Silver City, N.M. (Mustang Field)
Time of Game: Game 1: 1:45 / Game 2: 1:30
Weather: 55-Partly Cloudy, W-15mph to CF
 
Game 1
 
LCU Highlights:

• Tiarra Delrosario – 2-for-5, HR, 4 RBI
• Berkeley Quinn – 2-for-4, HR
• Taylor Franco – complete game (9.0 innings), 1 run off 3 hits and 12 strikeouts

Turning Point:
Tiarra Delrosario's grand slam in the top of the ninth inning was the difference.

How it Happened:
The game was scoreless until the top of the third inning, as Berkeley Quinn hit a leadoff solo home run over the centerfield fence for a 1-0 lead. The score remained 1-0 until WNMU's Ciara Salazar broke up Taylor Franco's no-hit bid in the fifth inning with a double, which tied the game at 1-1.
 
The score remained 1-1 until the top of the 10^th inning. Riley Flores and Sydnee Bowlin each reached on a single before Quinn loaded the bases with a single.  Delrosario connected with the grand slam for a 5-1 advantage.

Inside the Numbers:

• For a second consecutive game, Taylor Franco pitched a complete game ending in extra innings. Her 9.0-inning effort was her 13^th complete game of the season and 63^rd of her career. The win improved her record to 10-6 on the season. It was her 66^th career win, which ties her with Alyssa Gutierrez for second all-time in program history in wins. With a season-high 12 strikeouts and three hits allowed over nine innings, she has eight starts this season in which she has allowed three hits or less.
• Berkeley Quinn's home run was her first over-the-fence home run of her career at any level. She is the 10^th Lady Chap this season to hit at least one home run.
• Tiarra Delrosario smacked her second home run of the season and of her LCU career. It was her first grand slam of her career and LCU's second grand slam of the season. Ally Oyanguren had the prior slam on Feb. 4 against Newman.
• Amanda Valdiviezo (2-for-4) and Riley Flores (2-for-3) each had multi-hit games for LCU.
• LCU improved to 18-3 when hitting at least one home run in a game.

 
Game 2
 
LCU Highlights:

• Kasey Flores – 2-for-3, 2 HR, 4 RBI
• Skylar Herrera – 2-for-3, HR, 2 RBI
• Maxine Valdez – 4.2 innings allowing one run off two hits and five strikeouts

Turning Point:
Riding the momentum off their extra-inning win in the opening game, the Lady Chaps opened the contest with a five-run first inning.

How it Happened:
LCU exploded in the opening frame with a five-run inning. Kasey Flores and Skylar Herrera punctuated the five-run frame with back-to-back home runs. Riley Flores and Kamryn Gibbs each had RBI-doubles in the inning as well.
 
Herrera drove in another run in the second inning, before LCU had a three-run fourth inning. Flores followed a Hope Banales RBI-single with a two-run home run to go up 9-0. Maxine Valdez limited the Mustangs at the plate for 4.2 innings, as Kaleigh Vega shut the door to get the final out and ending the game early via the run-rule.

Inside the Numbers:

• Maxine Valdez claimed the victory in the circle and improved to 11-2 on the season (30-11 in her career), as she allowed one run on two hits and struck out five batters in 4.2 innings. She had a no-hitter going until the fifth inning.
• Kasey Flores had her team-leading 15^th multi-RBI game of the season, as she had four RBI off a pair of two-run home runs. The home runs place her with 52 career home runs and with 12 on the season.
• Flores and Skylar Herrera's back-to-back home runs marked the third time this season in which LCU has had back-to-back home runs in a game. The prior two involved Kasey Flores and Hope Banales.
• Tiarra Delrosario had two doubles in the game and ended up going 4-for-8 on the day with two doubles and a home run. Her pair of multi-hit games has her tied for the team lead with 12 (with Kasey Flores).
• Hope Banales went 1-for-2 and extended her hit streak to 11 games, which is the longest streak by a Lady Chaps member this season. She also extended her streak to reaching base safely to 13 games, which actively leads the team and is the most by a Lady Chap this season.
• LCU is now 16-2 when errorless, as they did not commit an error in the game.
• LCU was 6-for-10 with runners on base in the game.

 
HISTORICAL NOTE
With LCU's pair of wins, they improve to 14-0 all-time against WNMU. LCU improved to 4-0 all-time against WNMU in Silver City and 6-0 when the two teams play in conference play.

WHAT'S NEXT:
The Lady Chaps remain in Silver City, N.M. Wednesday for the completion of the three-game LSC series, which gets underway at 1 p.m. (CT) from Mustang Softball Field.