LAREDO, Texas (March 31, 2023) – No.11 Lubbock Christian University out-hit Texas A&M International 23-5 and produced a pair of six-run victories, as the Lady Chaparrals defeated the Dustdevils 6-0 and 8-2 in a Lone Star Conference doubleheader sweep Friday afternoon at Dustdevil Softball Field to extend the Lady Chaps win streak to 13 games.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Game 1: LCU 6 - TAMIU 0 / Game 2: LCU 8 – TAMIU 2
Records: LCU (30-8, 20-7), TAMIU (15-22, 11-15)
Location: Laredo, Texas (Dustdevil Softball Field)
Time of Game: Game 1: 1:50 / Game 2: 2:17
Weather: 93-Sunny, Wind 6 mph to 3B
 
GAME 1
 
LCU Highlights:

• Taylor Franco – complete game, two-hit shutout, 7.0 innings, 5 K's
• Hope Banales – 3-for-4, 3 RBI, HR
• Kasey Flores – 1-for-3, HR, 2 RBI

Turning Point:
Kasey Flores' two-run home run in the third inning extended LCU's lead to 4-0.

How it Happened:
LCU jumped out to a 1-0 lead after Berkeley Quinn led off the game with a double and scored on a RBI-single by Hope Banales. Another leadoff base hit helped extend the lead to 2-0 in the second inning, as Amanda Valdiviezo led off the inning with a single and scored on a sacrifice fly by Kamryn Gibbs.
 
The Lady Chaps put the game out of reach with Kasey Flores (third inning) and Banales (fifth inning) each hitting two-run home runs. Meanwhile, LCU starting pitcher Taylor Franco went three innings without allowing her first hit and faced the minimum for the first 4.2 innings.   

Inside the Numbers:

• Taylor Franco, the reigning Lone Star Conference Pitcher of the Week, pitched her 15^th complete game of the season (65^th of her LCU career) and it was her program-leading 28^th complete game shutout of her career (sixth of the season). She went 7.0 innings and forced TAMIU into 14 groundouts (one flyout). The game marked the 10^th time this season in which Franco tossed a complete game while holding the opposition to three hits or less. She improved to 12-6 on the season in the circle.
• Kasey Flores produced a home run in the third inning to place her with 56 career home runs and with 16 on the season. The two-run dinger led to her 18^th multi-RBI game of the season.
• TAMIU leads the nation in sacrifice hits, but it was LCU with the sacrifices in the game, as they had three with a pair of sac bunts and one sacrifice fly. LCU had one sacrifice bunt on the entire season entering the game. Kamryn Gibbs became the 10^th different Lady Chap to hit a sac-fly this season and it was the second of her career.
• Hope Banales matched a season high with her third three-hit game of the season. She was 2-for-2 with runners on base, as LCU was 6-for-14 in the category (TAMIU was 0-for-7).
• LCU improved to 16-1 when scoring in the first inning and 27-1 when scoring first.
• With two home runs, LCU improved to 24-3 when they hit at least one home run in a game.

 
GAME 2
 
LCU Highlights:

• Skylar Herrera – 2-for-4, 3 RBI
• Berkeley Quinn – 2-for-5, 2 RBI
• Maxine Valdez – 6.0 innings with three hits allowed

Turning Point:
With LCU leading 3-2, for a second consecutive inning (fifth inning), LCU had the bases loaded with two outs, but they were able to extend the lead with pinch hitter Riley Flores drawing a walk, which was followed with an infield single by Berkeley Quinn for a 5-2 lead.  

How it Happened:
TAMIU jumped on the scoreboard first, as a trio of walks and a single led to a 2-0 lead. Maxine Valdez struck out three batters while navigating the strike zone. LCU had one hit through two innings, but in the third inning, Berkeley Quinn attempted a sacrifice bunt, which ended up an infield single for an RBI to provide LCU their first run of the game. Sydnee Bowlin scored on an error and LCU took the lead via a sacrifice fly by Skylar Herrera.  
 
The three-run inning would be the first three of eight unanswered runs by LCU. The Lady Chaps, who sent nine batters to the plate in the third inning, sent nine to the plate in the fifth inning. Lunsford walked with the bases loaded and Quinn had a two-out infield single for a 5-2 lead in the fifth inning. Herrera added an RBI single in the sixth and seventh inning to seal the victory. Her second was part of a two-run seventh inning, in which Bailey Hughes had a RBI-single.  

Inside the Numbers:

• Maxine Valdez improved to 13-2 in the circle. She went 6.0 innings and held TAMIU to two runs off three hits. After surrendering a single to the third batter she faced in the first inning, Valdez went 17 consecutive batters until allowing another hit. Valdez issued three walks in the opening inning, but did not have another for the remainder of her time in the circle. She finished with 10 strikeouts.
• Kaeleigh Vega pitched the final inning in relief and struck out one batter, as she retired the side in order. She has not allowed a hit in her last two appearances and has gone four appearances without allowing a run.
• LCU had 12 hits and all were singles. It is the highest hit total without an extra-base hit since they had 13 singles against Friends on Feb. 16, 2013.
• Berkeley Quinn (2-for-3) and Skylar Herrera (2-for-2) each had two hits in at-bats with runners in scoring position, as LCU was 6-for-18 in the category for the game.
• TAMIU was 0-for-7 in two-out at-bats and was 0-for-15 on the day in two-out at-bats.
• Kasey Flores is on a 12-game hit streak, which currently matches Hope Banales' season-high mark of 12 games. Skylar Herrera has reached base safely in 16 consecutive games, which is a Lady Chaps high this season.
• LCU improved to 5-7 when their opponents score first and 4-4 when the opponent scores in the first inning.
• Hope Banales and Berkeley Quinn each had four hits Friday. Banales hit .571 with a homer and three RBI on the afternoon.

 
HISTORICAL NOTE
With LCU's doubleheader sweep, they improved to 23-9 all-time against TAMIU. LCU improved to 10-5 all-time against TAMIU in Laredo. LCU has won 13 straight games, which is their longest win streak of the season.

WHAT'S NEXT:
The Lady Chaps close a Lone Star Conference series at Texas A&M International with a single game set for Saturday at 11 a.m. in Laredo, Texas.