GULF SHORES, Ala. (February 2, 2025) – Lubbock Christian University wrapped up its opening weekend at the Gulf Shores Invitational on a high note, securing a 9-5 victory over Spring Hill College on Sunday. The win extended the Lady Chaps' streak to three games, finishing the tournament with a strong 4-1 record.
 
Weather impacted Friday's play, but with a twist. They were originally scheduled for five games and they ended up playing five games, but not against all opponents originally scheduled. LCU, who's season opening lineup had four returnees, opened the season facing Nova Southeastern instead of North Georgia. They added a game against Florida Tech at the event. LCU's 4-1 record is their best performance at the invitational since going 3-0 in 2020, which was their first of now five invitationals the Lady Chaps have attended (in Gulf Shores).  
 
GAME 1 – LCU 3 – Nova Southeastern 1 (8 Inn.)
The Lady Chaps needed eight innings to get the job done, but pulled off the 3-1 extra-innings victory over the Nova Southeastern Sharks Friday in their season opener.
New Mexico State transfer Emily Dix (1-0) picked up the victory out of the bullpen for Lubbock Christian (1-0). The right-hander went three shutout innings while giving up one hit, allowing two walks and striking out two. Senior Teoni Lamb also made an impact in the circle for the Chaparrals, starting the ballgame and throwing five innings, giving up one run on four hits, with three walks and four strikeouts.
 
At the plate, the Chaparrals were paced by senior Baylea Myers, who went 1-for-2 on the day with a walk and an RBI. UMKC transfer Kadin Vire put together a standout performance at the plate as well, going 2-for-4.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Chaparrals were trailing 1-0 in the seventh inning when they first put runs on the board. With one out, LCU's Riley Flores hit a sacrifice fly, as NMSU transfer Kawehi Ili came across to score the lone run of the inning for Lubbock Christian, which forced extra innings.
 
In the eighth inning, Bailey Hughes provided LCU the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly, and Vire scored on an error for an insurance run and a 3-1 lead. The Sharks were retired in order, as LCU won in extra innings.
 
GAME NOTES
» LCU improved to 15-3 in season openers (all-time). It was their first win in a season opener since 2021. The last time LCU went extra innings in a season opener was in 2020, as LCU defeated Florida Tech 5-4 in nine innings at the Gulf Shores Invitational.
 
» Madison Ruiz, Kadin Vire, Kendra Levesque, Kristen Boyd, Yaya Kaaialii, Ili Kawehi and Emily Dix each made their LCU debut.
 
» The Lady Chaps not only open the season 1-0, but have a 1-0 record in games decided in extra innings. LCU was 0-1 last season in games decided in "extras."
 
» Lubbock Christian pitchers limited Nova Southeastern to just 2-for-13 (.154) with runners in scoring position.
 
» The teams were a combined 0-for-15 in two-out at-bats.

» Lubbock Christian pitchers faced 32 Nova Southeastern hitters in the game, allowing 10 ground balls and six fly balls while striking out six.

» Myers led the Chaparrals at the plate, going 1-for-2 with an RBI.

» Nova Southeastern was led offensively by junior Aubrey Hutzler, who went 1-for-3 with a double.

» Sophomore Gracelyn Wallace led the Sharks pitching staff, throwing eight innings of three-run ball.
 
 HISTORY LESSON
» LCU and NSU were meeting for the first time all-time.
 
GAME 2 – Florida Tech 6 – LCU 5
Lubbock Christian and Florida Tech were not originally to face each other, but with rains causing cancelations and delays, LCU and FTU agreed to play a late game Friday night. It was a good decision for the Panthers, who received a 3-for-4 performance from Celeste Casiss and used a two-run to edge LCU 6-5.
 
True freshman Natalie Gray (0-1) started and took the loss in the circle for Lubbock Christian (1-1). Sophomore Reese Farrar was a bright spot out of the bullpen, going three shutout innings while allowing one hit.
 
Myers' two extra base hits were the highlight of a 2-for-4 day, and included a double, a home run and three RBI. Sophomore Kadin Vire furnished a standout performance as well, going 2-for-2 with an RBI. Senior Kawehi Ili also contributed for the Chaparrals, putting together two hits in four trips to the plate.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Chaparrals got on the board immediately, starting their scoring with a two-run bottom of the first inning, one of which was driven in on a run-scoring double off the bat of Myers. The Panthers then rallied to score four runs in the second inning (Brooklyn Lorenzo homered to center field for a pair of runs to highlight the frame) and took a 4-2 lead. The Chaparrals got back on the board in the second. Lubbock Christian scored three runs in the frame, buoyed by a two-run homer from Myers, which brought the Chaparrals lead to 5-4. The Chaparrals were unable to hold the lead, as Florida Tech scored two times in the fourth inning for the 6-5 lead, which remained for the win.
 
GAME NOTES
» Lubbock Christian's power output was led by Myers, who picked up two extra base hits in the ballgame.
 
» LCU received team debuts from Natalee Gray and Sophia Reyes each made their LCU debut.
 
» The Lady Chaps hit into two ground-outs , while hitting into 10 fly-outs.

» Lubbock Christian went 2-for-6 (.333) with runners in scoring position.

» Myers led the Chaparrals at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a double, a home run and three RBI.

» Florida Tech was led offensively by senior Celeste Casillas, who went 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI.

HISTORY LESSON
» The two teams are now split 1-1 all-time. LCU marched past Florida Tech 5-4 in nine innings on Feb. 1, 2020 in Gulf Shores.
 
GAME 3 – LCU 7– UU 1
Returning to Gulf Shores Sportsplex less than 12 hours following Friday's late night contest against Florida Tech, The Lady Chaps took a 1-0 lead in the first inning and never surrendered the advantage on the way to a 7-1 win against the Union (TN) Bulldogs Saturday morning.
 
True freshman Kendall Ward (1-0) got the win for Lubbock Christian (2-1). The right-hander went seven innings, giving up one run on six hits, allowing no walks and striking out four batters.
 
Offensively, the Lady Chaparrals were paced by senior Kawehi Ili, who went 2-for-3 on the day with a walk and two RBI. Another NMSU transfer, Kristen Boyd, put together a standout day at the dish as well, going 1-for-3 with a double and two RBI. Senior Bailey Hughes also chipped in for LCU, putting together one hit in two trips to the plate while adding two walks and an RBI.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Chaparrals got on the board immediately, starting their scoring with one run in the bottom of the first inning. Vire came across to score the lone run of the inning for Lubbock Christian on a groundout RBI from Levesque. LCU added to their lead in the third inning, exploding for five runs, highlighted by a two-run double off the bat of Boyd, which brought the Chaparrals lead to 6-0. Lubbock Christian held UU without a run before building their lead to 7-0 in the fifth inning, as LCU scored their final run on an RBI single off the bat of Ili.
 
GAME NOTES
» LCU out-hit the Bulldogs at a 10-6 clip.

» Lubbock Christian pitchers limited Union to 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position.

» Lubbock Christian pitchers faced 28 Union (TN) hitters in the game, allowing 11 ground balls and five fly balls while striking out four.

» The Chaparrals drew seven walks from Union (TN) pitching.

» Ili led the Chaparrals at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two RBI.

» Union was led offensively by sophomore Camryn Langley, who went 2-for-3.

» Hayeli Acosta, Kendall Ward and Piper Garcia made their LCU debut.
 
» After going 0-for-15 for the combined first two games, LCU produced their first two-out base hit of the season in the game.
 
» Despite LCU stranding 11 runners, they were able to garner the win.  
 
HISTORY LESSON
» LCU improved to 2-0 all-time against Union. Both meetings have been in Gulf Shores, Ala. The two teams had previously met on May 19, 2012 as part of the NAIA Championships.
 
GAME 4– LCU 14 – VSU 10
The Lady Chaps rallied from an early eight-run deficit to storm past Valdosta State, 14-10, in a high-scoring battle Saturday in a game that went over two-and-a-half hours.
 
Junior Ashlinn Hamilton (1-0) got the win out of the bullpen for Lubbock Christian (2-1). The right-hander went three innings, giving up two runs on five hits, allowing no walks and striking out one. Emily Dix also pitched well, going two shutout innings while allowing one hit, walking one and striking out three.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Lady Chaps (3-1) found themselves in a 5-1 hole after the first inning and trailed 8-2 by the end of the second. However, their offense steadily chipped away before exploding for a six-run sixth inning to seize control. Yaya Kaaialii led the charge with a 4-for-5 performance, driving in four runs, while Kawehi Ili added three RBIs, including a go-ahead two-run single in the pivotal sixth.
 
After LCU closed the gap to 8-7 with a four-run fourth inning, Valdosta State (1-2) briefly regained a 10-8 lead in the fifth. But the Lady Chaps responded emphatically, stringing together five hits in the sixth, including RBI knocks from Kaaialii, Ili, and Baylea Myers, to surge ahead 14-10. Hamilton steadied the game in relief, allowing two runs over three innings before handing the ball to Emily Dix, who fired two scoreless frames to secure the comeback victory. Dix struck out three and worked out of a seventh-inning jam with the tying run at the plate.
 
LCU's offense flexed its depth, with five players tallying multi-hit games as the team racked up 14 hits. Myers went 3-for-5 with two RBIs, and Kristen Boyd and Kendra Levesque each contributed key hits in the late-inning rally.
 
GAME NOTES
» Odessa College transfer Yaya Kaaialii collected four hits on the day for Lubbock Christian. She was 4-for-5 and also 3-for-3 in RBI opportunities. Kaaialii drove in four runs with three two-out RBI.

» The last time LCU allowed 10 or more runs and won was Mar. 5, 2022 at Cameron.

» Four Lady Chaps had multiple hits in the ballgame.

» Lubbock Christian went 9-for-18 (.500) with runners in scoring position.

» Valdosta State was led offensively by junior Saylor McNearney, who went 4-for-5 with a double and two RBI.
 
HISTORY LESSON
» LCU improved to 2-1 all-time against VSU and all three meetings have been played in Gulf Shores.
 
GAME 5 – LCU 9 – SHC 4
LCU used a fast start and a steady offensive attack to power past Spring Hill College 9-4 Sunday at Gulf Shores Sportsplex. The Lady Chaps (4-1) scored in six of the first seven innings, building an early lead and never looking back.
 
Freshman Natalie Gray (1-1) picked up the win for LCU, tossing two scoreless innings while allowing just one hit and striking out one. Emily Dix, Reese Farrar, and Berkley Browder combined to close out the game, limiting Spring Hill to four runs on eight hits.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Lady Chaps wasted no time getting on the board, plating two runs in the first inning thanks to an RBI double from Kendra Levesque and a sacrifice fly by Kristen Boyd. LCU added another run in the second when Kawehi Ili singled and later scored on a Kadin Vire RBI hit.
 
A three-run third inning extended LCU's lead to 6-0, highlighted by a trio of consecutive hit doubles from Yaya Kaaialii, Riley Flores and Bailey Hughes.
 
Spring Hill (1-3) battled back in the fourth, cutting the deficit to 6-4 with a four-run frame, but the Lady Chaps responded with insurance runs in the fifth and sixth. Ili's speed played a role, as she walked, stole second, and later scored on a wild pitch, while Boyd and Hughes added late RBIs to keep LCU in control.
 
LCU's lineup saw five different players record multi-hit games, with Ili leading the charge at 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Levesque, Flores, and Hughes each doubled in the win, while the Lady Chaps swiped six bases to keep the pressure on.
 
Browder worked a clean seventh to seal the victory, securing LCU's fourth win of the young season.
 
GAME NOTES
» Kawehi Ili had three hits in the game for Lubbock Christian.

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

» The Chaparrals out-hit the Badgers at a 12-8 clip.

» Ili stole two bases in Sunday's game.

» LCU swiped seven bases as a team. The most since swiping seven against Chadron State College on Feb. 9, 2023.

» Lubbock Christian went 8-for-19 (.421) with runners in scoring position.

» The Chaparrals drew six walks from Spring Hill pitching.
 
» Redshirt freshman Berkley Browder made her LCU debut.

» Spring Hill was led offensively by senior Jenna Pacheco, who went 1-for-3 with a double and two RBI.
 
HISTORY LESSON
» LCU defeated SHC for the first time in program history and are 1-2 in the series. The prior two meetings were at the 2013 NAIA Championships in Columbus, Ga. And both won by SHC.
 
TOURNAMENT SUMMARY
History:
» LCU improved to 14-10 all-time in games played in Gulf Shores.
 
Hitting:
» Kawehi Ili dominated at the plate, hitting .588 (10-for-17) with seven runs scored, six RBIs, and four stolen bases.

» Baylea Myers posted a strong .474 average (9-for-19) with a team-high seven RBIs and one home run.

» Kadin Vire scored seven runs while batting .389 and went a perfect 2-for-2 in stolen bases.

» Yaya Kaaialii recorded a .385 average with two doubles, four RBIs, and a .529 on-base percentage.

» LCU outscored opponents 38-22 across five games, batting .320 as a team.

» The Lady Chaps swiped 11 bases in 12 attempts, with five different players recording at least one stolen base. They allowed two stolen bases and threw out three runners.
 
Pitching:
» Kendall Ward was lights out, throwing a complete-game in her lone start, allowing zero earned runs over seven innings.

» Emily Dix led the team with seven strikeouts in 6.1 innings pitched, holding opponents to a .208 batting average.

» Reese Farrar posted a 1.24 ERA in 5.2 innings, allowing just one earned run.
 
Fielding & Defense:
» The Lady Chaps posted an impressive .975 fielding percentage, committing just four errors in five games.