LUBBOCK, Texas (April 12, 2023) – Lubbock Christian University became the fifth program in NCAA Division II softball history to have two different pitchers with at least five career no-hitters, as Wednesday at Maner Park, Maxine Valdez notched the program's 28^th no-hitter and her fifth career no-hitter. The accomplishment came in an 8-0 victory over Cameron in the first game of a Lone Star Conference doubleheader. No.10 Lubbock Christian was unable to complete the series sweep, as Cameron rebounded with a 7-3 win in the second game to end LCU's 14-game home win streak.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Game 1: LCU 8 – CU 0 (5 inn.), Game 2: CU 7 – LCU 3
Records: LCU (34-10, 24-9), CU (26-18, 22-14)
Location: Lubbock, Texas (Maner Park)
Time of Game: Game: 1:10, Game 2: 2:20
Weather: Game 1: 69-Sunny, Wind-2 MPH to LF, Game 2: 80-Sunny, Wind-5 MPH w/gusts to 20 MPH to LF
 
GAME 1

LCU Highlights:

• Maxine Valdez - 5.0 innings complete game no-hitter
• Tiarra Delrosario – 2-for-3, 2 RBI, 2B
• Kasey Flores – 1-for-2, HR, 3 RBI

Turning Point:
A pair of home runs (Ally Oyanguren and Kasey Flores) in the fourth inning, led to a six-run inning to put LCU ahead 8-0.  

How it Happened:
Cameron threatened to score first in the top of the second inning, as an error and Maxine Valdez's lone walk had two runners aboard, but Valdez forced Kelsye Loughman into a fielder's choice to get out of the jam. In the home-half of the innings, LCU hit into a pair of quick outs, but Riley Flores kept the inning alive beating out an infield single and Kamryn Gibbs followed with a home run to centerfield for a 2-0 lead.
 
The score remained 2-0 until a six-run fourth inning. Ally Oyanguren led off the inning with a solo home run. Three of the following batters reached on walks or hit-by-pitches, and two of the Lady Chaps scored on a two-run single by Tiarra Delrosario. With two outs, Kasey Flores hit a towering fly ball that carried over the left field wall for a three-run home for an 8-0 lead.

Inside the Numbers:

• Maxine Valdez improved to 14-2 on the season (33-11 in her LCU career), as she claimed her 10^th complete game of the season (17^th of career) and sixth complete game shutout of the season (ninth of career). The no-hitter was her third no-hitter of the season and the fifth of her LCU career. She joins Taylor Franco (7) as Lady Chaps that have at least five career no-hitters. It was LCU's fifth no-hitter of the season and the 28^th in program history.
• Ally Oyanguren's home run was her third of the season and the first that was not a grand slam.
• Kasey Flores produced a home run in the fourth inning to place her with 57 career home runs and with 17 on the season. The three-run dinger led to her 19^th multi-RBI game of the season.
• Kamryn Gibbs hit her sixth home run of the season, which has her with 12 in her career.
• The Lady Chaps moved to 28-1 when scoring first. They also moved to 26-3 when hitting at least one home run a contest.

 
GAME 2

LCU Highlights:

• Skylar Herrera – 2-for-3, SB, RBI
• Amanda Valdiviezo – 2-for-3, RBI
• Berkeley Quinn – 2-for-4, 2B

Turning Point:
The Lady Chaps had two runners on base with one out in the third inning, trailing 3-0, but a strikeout and groundout prevented LCU from getting their first run of the game. The pair of outs would be the first two of six consecutive outs by LCU batters.  

How it Happened:
Cameron pitcher Jocelyn Bright held LCU to two hits over the first 4.1 innings of the game. The Aggies also benefited off a three-run first inning. An error opened the game, and three of the ensuing four batters hit singles to lead to the 3-0 advantage.
 
The Aggies increased their lead to 5-0 in the fourth inning, as four singles led to a two-run inning. All three of LCU's runs came in the final two innings. Hope Banales led off the bottom of the sixth inning with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly hit by Herrera. Valdiviezo made it a two-run inning with a RBI-single with two outs. The Lady Chaps would give the two runs right back in the top of the seventh inning to trail 7-2. Banales added an RBI in the seventh inning, as she grounded out to score Quinn, who had led off with a double.

Inside the Numbers:

• Taylor Franco pitched her 17^th complete game of the season (67^th of her LCU career, but unfortunately took the loss in the circle (13-7).
• LCU did not hit a home run in the game and fell to 8-7 when they do not hit a home run.
• Skylar Herrera's sacrifice fly was LCU's 14^th of the season and her team-leading third of the season. It marked her 12^th of her career, which ties her with Raquel Hawkins (2008-09) for the third-most sacrifice flies in a LCU career (the record is 15 by Amanda Parsons from 2008-11).
• LCU moved to 5-6 when the opponent scores in the first inning and 6-9 when their opponents score the first run of the game.
• The Lady Chaps fell to 2-6 when trailing 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 8-7 in games in which they do not hit a home run.
• Amanda Valdiviezo went 3-for-5 in the series and joined Kasey Flores with three RBI in the series to lead LCU. Valdiviezo, Ally Oyanguren, Berkeley Quinn, Skylar Herrera and Tiarra Delrosario all co-led LCU in the series with three hits.

HISTORICAL NOTE
With LCU's Taylor Franco (7) and Maxine Valdez (5) each with at least five no-hitters in their career, LCU is the fifth program in NCAA Division II history to have multiple pitchers with at least five no-hitters (only program with active student-athletes completing the task). LCU has 10 since the beginning of the 2022 season, as they have five in 2022 and this season. Valdez's no-hitter was LCU's first against Cameron and the third thrown on the same date (April 12). LCU threw back-to-back no-hitters in a doubleheader on Nov. 12, 2011 against Southwest (N.M.) and each were combined no-hitters. Entering this season, 22 NCAA Division II softball players had at least five no-hitters in their career.
 
As far as the series against Cameron, LCU is now 7-4 all-time against the Aggies. The loss in the final game of the series ended a four-game win streak in the all-time series and knocked down their all-time record to 3-2 in Lubbock against the Aggies.
 
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 Franco)
27. 3/17/23 - vs. St. Mary's (Maxine Valdez)

WHAT'S NEXT:
The Lady Chaps head to the Concho Valley Saturday to open a doubleheader against Angelo State. The teams will play a doubleheader Saturday and a single game on Sunday in San Angelo, Texas.