LUBBOCK, Texas (March 8, 2023) –
Hope Banales (5) and
Skylar Herrera (4) combined for nine runs-batted-in for No.10 Lubbock Christian University Wednesday, but it was the starting pitchers that stole the show in a 5-0 and 11-0 victory to complete a Lone Star Conference series sweep over Eastern New Mexico. In the doubleheader opener, it was a 12-strikeout performance in a two-hit complete game shutout for
Maxine Valdez, and
Taylor Franco took the circle in the second game and notched her program record seventh career no-hitter to become the 14
th player in NCAA Division II history to reach seven career no-hitters.
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Game 1: LCU 5, ENMU 0 / Game 2: LCU 11, ENMU 0
Records: LCU (19-7, 9-6), ENMU (14-13, 6-9)
Location: Lubbock, Texas (Maner Park)
Time of Game: Game 1: 2:05, Game 2: 1:25
Weather: Game 1: 45-Cloudy, Wind-3MPH to home / Game 1: 52-Cloudy, Wind-2MPH to LF
GAME 1
LCU Highlights:
Turning Point:
Skylar Herrera's bases loaded two-run single in the third inning to put LCU up 4-0.
How it Happened:
LCU jumped out to a quick start with a pair of doubles in the first inning.
Tiarra Delrosario and
Hope Banales each hit RBI-doubles in the inning for a 2-0 LCU lead. The Lady Chaps made it 4-0 in the third inning, as Herrera hit a bases-loaded single, which scored Delrosario and
Kasey Flores. LCU loaded the bases again in the fifth inning and
Kamryn Gibbs singled in Herrera for an insurance run.
Inside the Numbers:
- Maxine Valdez improved to 6-2 on the season (25-11 in her career), as she pitched her fifth complete game of the season (12th of her career) and struck out a season-best 12 hitters. She allowed two hits in her 7.0 innings of work, allowing a single to the first batter of the game and then facing 21 consecutive batters before surrendering a single with two outs in the seventh inning.
- With a pair of RBI, Skylar Herrera recorded her third multi-RBI game of the season.
- LCU stranded 11 base runners.
- The Lady Chaps improved to 12-2 when not committing an error.
- LCU improved to 10-1 when scoring in the first inning and 17-1 when scoring first.
- Berkeley Quinn was 2-for-2 when batting in a leadoff role and LCU was able to get the leadoff batter aboard five of the six innings of at-bats.
GAME 2
LCU Highlights:
Turning Point:
Hope Banales hitting a three-run double as the bases were loaded in the second inning, highlighted a seven-run inning.
How it Happened:
Hope Banales had four RBI in the first two innings and all four were with two outs. She hot a RBI-single with two outs in the first inning to give LCU a 1-0 lead. In the second inning, after a pair of two-out errors, LCU loaded the bases and took advantage of the opportunity with a three-run double hit by Banales for a 6-0 lead.
Skylar Herrera followed with a two-run home run to centerfield for an 8-0 advantage. A pair of leadoff walks in the third inning led to three more runs scoring, as
Tiarra Delrosario (double) and
Kasey Flores (single) each had RBI hits to complete a three-run inning for an 11-0 lead.
On the defensive side,
Taylor Franco forced nine groundouts and Franco faced two batters over the minimum.
Inside the Numbers:
- Taylor Franco increased her LCU program record total in career complete game shutouts to 27 and no-hitters to seven. She notched her 60th career complete game (10th this season) and the win has her with an 8-5 record this season and 64-25 in her career.
- Skylar Herrera hit her second home run of the season and it marked her 25th of her LCU career.
- With a 2-for-3 performance at the plate, Hope Banales moved into the team co-lead in multi-hit games with 10 to match Kasey Flores. Her career-high four RBI effort was her fourth multi-RBI game this season.
- LCU was 5-for-11 as a team in two-out at-bats leading to 10 two-out RBI in the game. Banales was 2-for-3 with two-outs and all four of her RBI came with two outs.
- Berkeley Quinn was 3-for-3 in leadoff at bats on the day, helping LCU go 8-for-10 in having the leadoff batter reach base.
- LCU improved to 11-1 when scoring in the first inning and 18-1 when scoring first.
- Banales hit .714 (5-for-7) on the afternoon and hit .700 (7-for-10) in the series against ENMU. She had six RBI in the series, with five recorded with two-outs.
- Quinn extended her hot streak to 10 games and has reached base safely in 10 consecutive games.
HISTORICAL NOTE
LCU moved to 42-0 all-time against Eastern New Mexico and 22-0 all-time against the Greyhounds at Maner Park.
Taylor Franco's no-hitter was LCU's second no-hitter against ENMU, as Katlyn Homes no-hit the Greyhounds on Mar. 21, 2017.
List of LCU No-Hitters
1. 2/13/08 - vs. University of the Southwest (Marissa Gonzalez)
2. 3/5/08 - vs. UT-Permian Basin (Marissa Gonzalez)
3. 3/19/08 - vs. Dordt College (Marissa Gonzalez)
4. 5/17/09 - vs. Shorter College (Alyssa Gutierrez)
5. 2/20/10 - vs. Northwestern Oklahoma St. University (Alyssa Gutierrez)
6. 4/19/10 - vs. Oklahoma Baptist University (Alyssa Gutierrez)
7. 4/12/11 - vs. University of the Southwest (Meagan Navarrette / Carollin Hall)
8. 4/12/11 - vs. University of the Southwest (Alyssa Freight / Amanda Longorio)
9. 3/16/12 - vs. Waldorf College (Sarah Mendez)
10. 4/1/12 - vs. Oklahoma Baptist University (Sarah Mendez)
11. 2/9/13 - vs. University of the Southwest (Katera Eltosie)
12. 2/16/13 - vs. Graceland University (Katera Eltosie)
13. 3/12/13 - vs. Mount Marty College (Tori Bayer)
14. 2/20/16 - vs. Clarke University (Katlyn Homes)
15. 3/21/17 - vs. Eastern New Mexico University (Katlyn Homes)
16. 2/20/18 - vs. St. Edward's University (Monique Francois)
17. 2/15/19 - vs. University of the Southwest (
Taylor Franco)
18. 3/22/21 - vs. UT-Permian Basin (
Maxine Valdez)
19. 2/10/22 - vs. Oklahoma Baptist (
Taylor Franco)
20. 2/12/22 - vs. Northwestern Oklahoma State (
Taylor Franco)
21. 3/20/22 - vs. UT-Permian Basin (
Taylor Franco)
22. 3/27/22 - vs. No.1 UT Tyler (
Taylor Franco)
23. 4/1/22 - vs. Texas Woman's (
Maxine Valdez)
24. 2/11/23 - vs. Chadron State (
Maxine Valdez)
25. 2/12/23 - vs. Minot State (
Taylor Franco)
26. 3/8/23 – vs. Eastern New Mexico (
Taylor Franco0
WHAT'S NEXT:
The Lady Chaps head to Kingsville, Texas Saturday to open a three-game Lone Star Conference series against Texas A&M-Kingsville, which begins with a doubleheader scheduled for 4 p.m.