LUBBOCK, Texas (April 21, 2023) – A pair of nationally ranked Lone Star Conference rivals open an important Lone Star Conference series, and a Rivalry on the Range series Friday, as No.16 Lubbock Christian University hosts No.12 West Texas A&M for a 2 p.m. doubleheader to open a three-game series at Maner Park.
| LONE STAR CONFERENCE SOFTBALL |
| OPPONENT |
LOCATION |
DAY |
TIME (CT) |
WATCH |
STATS |
| No.12 WTAMU |
Lubbock, Texas |
Fri., Apr. 21 |
2 p.m. |
Video |
Stats |
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| No.12 WTAMU |
Lubbock, Texas |
Fri., Apr. 21 |
4 p.m. |
Video |
Stats |
| No.12 WTAMU |
Lubbock, Texas |
Sat., Apr. 22 |
1 p.m. |
Video |
Stats |
| WEATHER |
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LCU and WT Series Snapshot
- WTAMU leads the all-time series over LCU, 17-10. The Lady Buffs had won six consecutive clashes until LCU won the previous meeting 8-6 in Lubbock on Mar. 12, 2022.
- LCU is 7-8 all-time against WTAMU at Maner Park. The two teams split a doubleheader in Lubbock last season (Mar. 12, 2022), with WT winning the opener 10-1, but LCU bounced back with an 8-6 win in the second game. Heading into this season's series, seven of the last 10 meetings have been in Lubbock.
- Kasey Flores is 3-for-5 in her career against West Texas A&M.
How is the Team Doing?
- LCU is 36-11 this season and coming off a road series in which LCU took two of three LSC contests at Angelo State (placed their LSC record to 26-10).
- This season's 36-11 record includes a 13-game, 10-game and six-game win streak.
- The Lady Chaps are hitting .323 as a team (second in the conference and 43rd nationally), with 50 home runs (18th nationally) in 47 games. LCU averages 6.1 runs a contest (third in LSC and 41st nationally).
- In the circle, LCU has an ERA of 1.93 (22nd nationally and third in the LSC). Opponents are hitting .175 against LCU this season (leads the LSC). The staff has a WHIP of 0.96 (leads LSC and fourth nationally) and a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 3.12 (third in the LSC and 33rd nationally). LCU has five no-hitters this season for a second consecutive season.
- LCU ranks seventh in the nation in doubles (85) and is 17th in doubles per game (1.8).
- The Lady Chaps have batted in 286 innings this season. They have scored at least one run in 123 of them (43.0% of the innings).
- Defensively, LCU ranks 25th nationally with a 97.1% fielding percentage. They are fourth in the LSC with 0.34 double plays turned per game.
Who is Doing What?
- Pitcher Maxine Valdez is 15-2 this season with a 1.90 ERA in 96.0 innings pitched (also has two saves). She ranks sixth nationally in WHIP (0.80, leads LSC) and seventh in hits allowed per seven innings (3.94, leads the LSC), 15th nationally averaging 9.1 strikeouts per seven innings and 55th in strikeouts (125, fifth in the LSC). On Feb. 11, Valdez posted a complete game no-hitter against Chadron State. She completed her second no-hitter of the season Mar.17 in a win over St. Mary's and third on April 12 (against Cameron), which was her fifth of her career. Valdez also claimed NFCA National Pitcher of the Week on Mar. 14 and is the LSC's first three-time Pitcher of the Week recipient this season. She is 34-11 in her career.
- Taylor Franco is 14-7 with a 1.34 ERA (second in the conference) and ranks tied for 11th nationally with 18 complete games (co-leads LSC). She is tied for 19th nationally in shutouts (6, which is tied with Valdez), 20th in hits allowed per seven innings (4.30), 25th in WHIP (0.93) and 24th in strikeouts (152). She claimed NFCA National Pitcher of the Week honors on Mar. 1 (first of her career). On Mar. 5, she became the second Lady Chaps pitcher in program history to surpass 500 career strikeouts. She blanked Eastern New Mexico on Mar. 8 to become the 14th NCAA Division II player to reach seven career no-hitters. She is on the Tucci/NFCA Player/Pitcher of the Year Watchlist.
- Franco ranks third actively in NCAA Div. II career shutouts (28), which is 10th actively at all NCAA levels
- Fourth actively in NCAA Div. II career innings pitched (668.3), which is 15th actively at all NCAA levels
- Fifth actively in NCAA Div. II career complete games (68), which is 13th actively at all NCAA levels
- 10th actively in NCAA Div. II career saves (8)
- 13th actively in NCAA Div. II career strikeouts (571)
- 31st actively in NCAA Div. II career strikeouts-per-seven innings (6.0)
- Ranks 31st actively in NCAA Div. II career marks in ERA (1.95)
- New Mexico State transfer Hope Banales is hitting .378 (ninth in the LSC) at the plate with a team-leading 17 doubles, which leads the LSC and is eighth nationally. Banales, who has one LSC Hitter of the Week honor under her belt, has 51 hits to rank ninth eighth in the LSC.
- Kasey Flores leads the team in home runs (17, tied for sixth nationally and co-leads the LSC), RBI (55, fifth nationally and leads the LSC), total bases (113, 11th nationally and third in the LSC), slugging (0.876, which is 12th nationally) and OPS at 1.388. The LSC recognized Kasey as the LSC Hitter of the Week on Feb. 7 and the NFCA named her National Player of the Week on Mar. 28. In 47 games, she has 19 multi-RBI games. Flores' power has resulted in the opposition walking her (intentionally) and she ranks 14th national in walks per game (0.74, fourth in the LSC). She is on the Tucci/NFCA Player/Pitcher of the Year Watchlist.
- In her LCU career, Flores has the 11th-best slugging mark in active-career NCAA Div.II statistics, with a career slugging of .804.
- She has 57 career home runs, which actively ranks tied for 13th among all NCAA levels.
- LCU has a 74-46 advantage this season in stolen bases. Berkeley Quinn leads LCU with 22 stolen bases (fifth in the LSC) and Skylar Herrera has 20 (seventh in the LSC) to place a pair of Lady Chaps in the top-10 in the conference in thefts. LCU has 74 swipes and averages 1.6 in steals per game (fifth in LSC).
- Herrera has 72 career stolen bases, which ranks 23rd for active career leaders in NCAA Div. II
- The Lady Chaps have 50 home runs this season (third in LSC) and 10 different Lady Chaps have round-trippers this season.
- Skyler Herrera ranks tied for 14th in the LSC in runs scored with 34.
- Actively ranks 33rd in NCAA Div.II in career runs (143)
- 30th in total bases (329)
- 35th in home runs (30)
- 39th in RBI (134)
Lone Star Conference Breakdown
- This season is LCU's fourth season in the LSC.
- LCU is 71-33 all-time in LSC play.
- The Lady Chaps went 23-7 last season in conference.
- LCU is 26-10 in conference play, sitting in third place in the LSC standings.
- The 26 conference wins marks the most in a single season since moving to NCAA and the most since a 29-win 2010 season.
- LCU is hitting .295 in conference, with 40 home runs (allowed 10).
- The pitching staff has a 2.19 ERA in LSC play, with 238 strikeouts in 236.0 innings and holding opponents to a .185 batting average.
- Hope Banales leads LCU in conference hitting .358.
- Kasey Flores leads LCU in home runs (13) and RBI (40) in conference play.
- Taylor Franco has a 1.58 ERA and is 11-6 with 117 strikeouts in 128.1 innings. She is averaging an allowance of 4.7 hits per seven innings in LSC play.
- Maxine Valdez is 11-2 in conference games and is holding the opposition to a .176 batting average. She has 101 strikeouts in 77.0 innings (9.2 per seven innings).
Season Expectations
- The Lady Chaps are preseason picked to finish fourth in the Lone Star Conference.
- LCU is in their ninth season playing a NCAA Division II schedule (2013 was their last season in NAIA) and this is their fourth season as members of the Lone Star Conference.
- There are 15 softball programs in the LSC this season. The major difference from last season to this season is Texas A&M-Commerce made the move to NCAA Division I.
National Notes
- Lubbock Christian is 0-4 this season against nationally ranked programs.
- The Lady Chaps went 9-10 last season (2022) against nationally ranked programs.
- LCU opened the season No.21 in the NFCA National Top-25 Coaches Preseason Poll. LCU is currently ranked No.16 after spending the prior week at No.10. They have been ranked ranging No.11 - No.7 this season until dropping to No.16 this week (despite winning two-of-three games in the prior two series).
Coach Talk
- LCU head coach Daren Hays is in his 13th season at the helm of the Lady Chaps.
- Hays is LCU's winningest softball head coach, entering Tuesday with a softball record of 522-168.
- Along with surpassing 500 coaching wins in softball, Hays had surpassed 300 wins as a collegiate baseball head coach. He spent eight seasons as the LCU baseball head coach and compiled a 356-163 record.
Streaking Along
Home on the Range
- LCU is 312-48 (86.7%) all-time in home games at Maner Park.
- Last season, LCU was 15-6 at home (17-7 in 2021).
- This season, LCU is 24-5 at home.
- LCU played their first 14 games at home this season, which is a program record for home games to start a season.
- LCU is hitting .346 at home and has a 1.59 staff ERA.
- The Lady Chaps have 29 home runs in 29 home games, with 12 hit by Kasey Flores.
- Flores leads LCU with a .456 batting average at home. Hope Banales (.395) is also hitting over .390 at home.
- Maxine Valdez is 10-1 at home and Taylor Franco is 10-4 and has a 1.19 ERA at home. Valdez is averaging 9.2 strikeouts per seven innings at home.
In Summary
- LCU has a 47-21 scoring advantage in the first inning and a 52-9 advantage in the fourth inning, with their highest offensive output coming in the second inning, with a 59-22 scoring advantage. LCU is 16-2 when leading after the first inning and 30-2 when scoring first.
- The Lady Chaps are 30-1 when leading after four innings.
- LCU is 27-4 this season when they hit at least one home run in a game.
- The Lady Chaps are 18-2 when errorless. They are 27-7 when their opponents commit at least one error.
Looking at WT
- The Lady Buffs went 29-16 last season, finishing eighth the LSC with a 17-13 conference mark. Their season ended in the LSC Championships in Tyler, Texas. This season, WT is 40-5 and have won four straight contests, which has them sitting in second place of the LSC standings with a 31-5 mark.
- WT is hitting .324 this season and have 68 home runs (sixth nationally) on the season, which leads the LSC in each category. They have a staff ERA of 1.61 (11th nationally) and opponents are hitting .186 against them.
- West Texas A&M is 14-4 on the road this season. They are coming off a three-game series in Austin, Texas, where they won two of three games in a LSC series against St. Edward's.
- The Lady Buffs average 7.18 runs per game (14th nationally) and they are eighth nationally with 323 runs scored. Ruby Salzman leads the team and is second in the LSC with 1.16 runs per game. Salzman also ranks fourth nationally in total bases (120) and is third in the LSC in home runs (16).
- Emilee Wilson (1.45 ERA, third in the LSC) and Kyra Lair (1.54 ERA, fourth in the LSC) rank in the top-four in the LSC in ERA. Lair (15-1) and Wilson (6-1) are a combined 21-2 this season in the circle.
