LUBBOCK, Texas (April 11, 2023) – Pitcher Taylor Franco pitched a complete game, facing one batter over the minimum, and Amanda Valdiviezo drove in a pair of runs to help No.10 Lubbock Christian University defeat Cameron 4-1 in the opener of a three-game Lone Star Conference series at Maner Park
 
GAME INFORMATION
Score: LCU 4 – CU 1
Records: LCU (33-9, 23-8), CU (25-17, 21-13)
Location: Lubbock, Texas (Maner Park)
Time of Game: 1:30
Weather: 81-Sunny, Wind- 5 MPH to LF
 
LCU Highlights:

• Taylor Franco – 7.0 complete game, 2 hits allowed
• Hope Banales – 1-for-3, HR
• Amanda Valdiviezo – 1-for-2, 2B, 2 RBI

Turning Point:
With two outs in the bottom of the third inning, LCU extended a 2-1 lead with a RBI-double by Amanda Valdiviezo.  

How it Happened:
Cameron got on the scoreboard first and in unique fashion, as a bleeder into left by Kaiden Boren got past the reach of the right fielder and the ball went all the way to the right field wall resulting in an inside-the-park home run with two outs in the first inning.
 
LCU responded in the home half of the first inning with Tiarra Delrosario hitting a one-out double. She was the first of four consecutive Lady Chaps to reach base. Skylar Herrera had a RBI-single to the left side to tie the game at 1-1. Valdiviezo gave LCU the lead with a sacrifice fly to centerfield to score Hope Banales, who had reached on an error.
 
The Lady Chaps extended the 2-1 lead in Valdiviezo's next at-bat, which was in the third innings. She drilled a double to left field with two-outs to put LCU up 3-1.
 
They added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth inning, as Banales hit a line-drive home run over the centerfield wall to put LCU up 4-1. The Aggies never threatened, as they never had any batter reach scoring position other than the inside-the-park home run. They did not even strand any runners.

Inside the Numbers:

• Taylor Franco pitched her 16^th complete game of the season (66^th of her LCU career). She went 7.0 innings and forced CU into 12 groundouts. Franco went 10 consecutive batters without allowing a hit between the two hits she allowed. The game marked the 11^th time this season in which Franco tossed a complete game while holding the opposition to three hits or less. She improved to 13-6 on the season in the circle and she faced 22 batters (one over the minimum).
• Hope Banales connected on her sixth home run of the season and it marked her seventh of her collegiate career.
• Valdiviezo, with her fifth multi-RBI game of the season, hit her second sacrifice fly of the season, which co-leads the team. LCU has now produced 13 sac-flies on the season (10 different players have at least one).
• LCU moved to 5-5 when the opponent scores in the first inning and 6-8 when their opponents score the first run of the game.
• The Lady Chaps are now 16-1 when leading after the first inning and 29-1 when leading after the first inning.
• LCU went error free for a 19^th time this season and are 17-2 in those contests.
• LCU is also 25-3 when hitting at least one home run in a game this season.
• Kasey Flores' team-leading 13-game hit streak ended, but she did extend her streak of reaching base safely to 15 games as she walked twice. Banales and Berkeley Quinn now have the longest active hit streaks, as each have hits in their last five games.

 
HISTORICAL NOTE
With the win, LCU has now won the last three meetings against the Aggies and have a 6-3 series lead. LCU is 2-1 all-time against Cameron in Lubbock.

WHAT'S NEXT:
The Lady Chaps and Aggies complete their conference series Wednesday with a doubleheader at Maner Park beginning at noon.