PORTALES, N.M. (February 28, 2024) – Ally Oyanguren crushed a pair of home runs, including a grand slam, and her six RBI on the day helped Lubbock Christian University sweep a Lone Star Conference doubleheader at Greyhound Softball Field Wednesday, as they claimed a 10-7 and an 11-2 win (in five innings) to collect the LSC series over Eastern New Mexico.
 
GAME 1 | Lubbock Christian 10, Eastern New Mexico 7
The Lady Chaps rallied from a 4-2 deficit in the sixth inning to win in thrilling fashion, tallying eight runs in the seventh (two outs away from defeat) to secure a 10-7 victory over the Greyhounds.
 
Junior Teoni Lamb (3-2) claimed the win for Lubbock Christian. The right-hander went 7.0 innings and despite giving up seven runs off 10 hits, she claimed nine strikeouts. In the batter's box, the Lady Chaps were led by Oyanguren, who went 2-for-2 on the day with a home run, a walk and two RBI. Kamryn Gibbs put together a standout performance at the plate as well, going 2-for-3 with a double, a walk and an RBI. Bailey Hughes also helped out for Lubbock Christian, putting together one hit in a pinch-hit appearance, which resulted in a double and two RBI.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Trailing 4-0, the Chaparrals first put runs on the board in the fifth inning. Lubbock Christian got an RBI single from Skylar Herrera, scoring Gibbs from second base.
The Chaparrals kept the Greyhounds off the board before narrowing the gap further in the sixth inning. Lubbock Christian picked up a run on Oyanguren's one-out solo home run off of Marissa Rodriguez, which tightened the Greyhounds lead to 4-2.
 
Lubbock Christian held the Greyhounds off the scoreboard before rallying to grab a 10-4 lead in the seventh inning. The Chaparrals bats heated up in the inning, scoring eight runs, including a two-run double off the bat of Hughes. Eastern New Mexico put three runs on the scoreboard before the game was over (Valeria Contreras three-run home run), but Lubbock Christian still held on for the 10-7 win.
 
GAME NOTES
» Lamb struck out a season-high nine Greyhounds hitters.

» Lubbock Christian's highest scoring inning was the seventh, when it pushed eight runs across. LCU had been 0-6 on the season when trailing after six innings, as it was LCU's first win of the season in the scenario. Tuesday night, LCU had tied the game facing a six-inning deficit, but fell in extra innings.

» Lubbock Christian went 6-for-12 (.500) with runners in scoring position.

» The Chaparrals got two hits in five at-bats with the bases loaded. They entered the game with one bases-loaded hit on the season.

» Oyanguren led the Chaparrals at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a home run and two RBI.

» Eastern New Mexico was led offensively by senior Valeria Contreras, who went 3-for-4 with two home runs and six RBI.
 
GAME 2 | Lubbock Christian 11, Eastern New Mexico 2
 
Ally Oyanguren racked up four RBI to help power the Lady Chaparrals past ENMU.
 
Taryn Westbrook (1-1) got the win for Lubbock Christian (8-8, 7-5). The right-hander went four innings, giving up two runs on seven hits, allowing no walks and striking out three. Sophomore Ashlinn Hamilton pitched a scoreless fifth inning.
 
Oyanguren went 1-for-2 with a grand slam and a walk, in addition to her four RBI for the Lady Chaps. Tiarra Delrosario compiled a noteworthy effort as well, going 2-for-2 with a home run and three RBI. Baylea Myers also chipped in for Lubbock Christian, putting together one hit in three trips to the plate while adding a home run and an RBI.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Chaparrals put runs on the scoreboard first, starting the scoring in the second inning. LCU's offense started clicking and put up six runs, including a three-run home run off the bat of Delrosario and a two-run single from senior Skylar Herrera.
 
ENMU cut into the LCU lead in the third inning with a solo home run by Alondra Vasquez. Lubbock Christian hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning, as Oyanguren powered a grand slam down the left field line and Myers followed with a solo shot to centerfield. which extended the LCU lead to 11-1. Eastern New Mexico put one run on the scoreboard (Skylar Hardin pinch hit home run) before the game was over, but the Greyhounds were unable to avoid the run rule.
 
GAME NOTES
 
» Oyanguren drove in four runs for Lubbock Christian. All four runs were via the grand slam, which was her second grand slam in her LCU career. She hit one on Feb. 4, 2023 at home against Newman which is also the prior (and only) time she had a four-RBI game. She has three home runs on the season (co-leads the team) and eight in her LCU career.  The four-RBI performance marked her team-leading fourth multi-RBI game and she leads LCU with 13 RBI.
 
» Oyanguren was 3-for-4 with two home runs and six RBI in the doubleheader and finished the series 5-for-8 with a double and two home runs with six RBI.
 
» Every Lubbock Christian starter reached base safely in the win.

» Lubbock Christian hitters hit a season-high three dingers in the ballgame. Myers' home run was her first as a Lady Chap (eight different Lady Chaps have a home run this season) and second collegiate home run of her career. Tiarra Delrosario also went deep, which was her third career home run and first of the season.

» The Chaparrals out-hit the Greyhounds at a 9-8 clip. They have not been out-hit in nine consecutive games.

» Lubbock Christian went 5-for-8 (.625) with runners in scoring position in the game and completed the series 14-for-29 (.483) in the category, with Delrosario 5-for-5 in the scenario at the plate. LCU was 4-for-7 (.571) with the bases loaded. The Lady Chaps also had a 13-4 advantage in two-out RBI in the series, as Delrosario had five two-out RBI.
 
» Lubbock Christian pitchers limited Eastern New Mexico to just 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position. Westbrook claimed her first win as a member of the Lady Chaps in the circle (eighth collegiate win).

» Eastern New Mexico was led offensively by senior Alondra Vasquez, who went 3-for-3 with a home run and an RBI.
 
» LCU outscored ENMU 24-13 in the series despite ENMU having a 6-4 advantage in home runs.
 
» The wins for LCU moved LCU's all-time record against ENMU to 44-1 all-time, with an 18-1 all-time mark in Portales.
 
WHAT'S NEXT
LCU returns home, where they will open a three-game Lone Star Conference series Saturday with a 1 p.m. doubleheader against Texas A&M at Maner Park.