CANYON, Texas (April 5, 2024) – Lubbock Christian University ended No.1 West Texas A&M's 33-game home win streak and claimed their first win in Canyon since the 2011 season with an 8-7 win in the opening game of their Lone Star Conference doubleheader Friday night at Schaeffer Park.
 
GAME 1 | Lubbock Christian 8, No. 1 West Texas A&M 7
LCU received contributions from every part of their lineup, as all nine starters reached base safely, helping the Lady Chaparrals put eight runs on the board and beat No. 1 West Texas A&M 8-7 in the opener.
 
Maxine Valdez (7-5) got the win in the circle for Lubbock Christian. The right-hander went 5.1 innings, giving up six runs on 11 hits, allowing no walks and striking out three.
 
In the batter's box, the Lady Chaps were led by Baylea Myers, who went 2-for-4 on the day with a double, a home run and two RBI. Sophomore Amanda Valdiviezo put together a standout day at the plate as well, going 1-for-3 with a home run and an RBI. Skylar Herrera also contributed for Lubbock Christian, posting two hits in four trips to the plate while adding a double, a walk and an RBI.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Lady Chaps were trailing 1-0 in the second inning when they first put runs on the board. Lubbock Christian plated two runs when Myers left the yard with sophomore Riley Flores aboard.
 
The Buffaloes failed to push any runs across before the Lady Chaps built on their lead in the fourth inning. The Lubbock Christian offense exploded for four runs, which opened with a solo home run by Amanda Valdiviezo. Skylar Herrera and Hope Banales each drove in a run in the inning with back-to-back doubles before Kamryn Gibbs capped the scoring in the frame with a RBI-single for a 6-1 lead.
 
West Texas A&M narrowed Lubbock Christian's lead to 6-3 with a two-run home run by Megan Guericke in the home half of the fourth inning before the Lady Chaps stretched the advantage to 7-3 in the fifth inning. The Chaparrals scored once on an RBI-single off the bat of pinch-hitting Hanna Wells.
 
The Lady Buffs gained ground with a three-run fifth inning, with two of the runs off the bat of a two-run home run from Emilee Boyer, closing the gap to 7-6 until Lubbock Christian added some insurance in the sixth inning. The Lady Chaparrals drove in a run on Flores' two-out RBI double, bringing the Lubbock Christian advantage to 8-6. West Texas A&M put one run on the scoreboard before the game was over, but the Chaparrals still held on for the 8-7 win, as Reese Farrar pitched the final 1.2 innings and kept the tying run at third base on the final out of the game.
 
GAME NOTES
» The Lady Chaparrals power output was led by Baylea Myers, who picked up two extra base hits in the ballgame. The home run was her third home run of the season.

» Every Lubbock Christian starter reached base safely in the win.

» Four Lady Chaparrals had multiple hits in the ballgame. Sydnee Bowlin (2-for-4), Skylar Herrera (2-for-4), Riley Flores (2-for-3) and Myers (2-for-4) completed the task for LCU.

» LCU had a total of 15 hits, which matched a season-high total.

» Lubbock Christian went 5-for-15 (.333) with runners in scoring position.

» Reese Farrar extended her team lead in saves to three. She allowed one run off two hits in 1.2 innings.

» Maxine Valdez and Farrar did not walk any batters.

» West Texas A&M was led offensively by Emilee Boyer, who went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI. Boyer also led the Lady Buffaloes pitching staff, throwing three innings of one-run ball.
 
» The win over a No.1 nationally ranked team marked LCU's second-ever road win over a No.1 nationally ranked program. They are 2-5 all-time in road games against a No.1-ranked program. The last time LCU won against a No.1-ranked team was on the road on May 13, 2022 at UT Tyler in the South Central Regional.
 
GAME 2 | No. 1 West Texas A&M 9, Lubbock Christian 1
Lubbock Christian was unable to ride the momentum in the second game of the doubleheader, falling 9-1 in six innings.
 
Teoni Lamb (7-3) started and took the loss in the circle for Lubbock Christian (19-14, 18-11). She went 3.2 innings before handing the ball over to Ashlinn Hamilton for the final 1.2 innings. Kamryn Gibbs led LCU at the plate going 2-for-3.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Trailing 5-0, the Lady Chaps first put runs on the board in the fourth inning. Lubbock Christian got an RBI single from senior Gibbs, scoring Hope Banales from second base. The Chaparrals were unable to get any closer, as West Texas A&M added four runs to their tally on the way to a 9-1 final.
 
WT's big plays came in the three-run first inning and fourth inning. Boyer, who pitched a complete game, helped her own cause with a two-run home run to centerfield in the first inning. Diana Murtha hit a two-run double in the fourth inning to highlight the frame for the Lady Buffs.
 
GAME NOTES
» Gibbs led the Chaparrals at the plate, going 2-for-3 with an RBI. It was her 10^th multi-hit game, which is second on the squad.

» West Texas A&M was led offensively by Emilee Boyer, who went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBI. Like the opener, Boyer led the Buffaloes pitching staff, throwing six innings of one-run ball.

 
» Tiarra Delrosario was hitless in the game. It was only her third hitless game of the season. Skylar Herrera never reached base, which ended her streak of 20 games reaching base safely. LCU's active leader in reaching base safely is Amanda Valdiviezo and Riley Flores (three games), with Valdiviezo leading LCU actively with a three-game hit streak.
 
» Riley Flores (3-for-6), Gibbs (3-for-6) and Myers (3-for-7) each had three hits on the day for LCU (combined two games).
 
» The doubleheader split placed LCU at 26-9 all-time against SEU and 10-6 against the Hilltoppers in Austin. LCU has won 15 of the prior 18 meetings.
 
HISTORICAL NOTE
LCU moves to 2-3 this season against nationally ranked programs. They also go to 11-21 all-time against WT and 4-10 all-time against WT at Schaeffer Park. Their win in the opening game of the doubleheader was LCU's first win at Schaeffer Park since April 26, 2011, which ended a nine-game losing streak at the facility.
 
WHAT'S NEXT

The two teams close their LSC series Sunday at 1 p.m. The game was originally scheduled for Saturday, but with high winds expected, the two programs agreed to move the contest to Sunday.