ALPINE, Texas (March 28, 2025) – It marks their first-ever trip to Alpine for the Lady Chaparrals, as Lubbock Christian University and Sul Ross State University meet for the first time in Lone Star Conference play and for the first time at Lobo Softball Field. First pitch against the Lobos, who are in their inaugural season in the LSC and Division II, is set at 3 p.m. to open Friday's doubleheader.
| LONE STAR CONFERENCE SOFTBALL |
| OPPONENT |
LOCATION |
DAY |
TIME (CT) |
VIDEO |
RADIO |
STATS |
| Sul Ross St. |
Lobos Softball Field |
Fri., Mar. 28 |
3 p.m. |
Watch |
None |
Stats |
| Sul Ross St. |
Lobos Softball Field |
Fri., Mar. 28 |
5 p.m. |
Watch |
None |
Stats |
| Weather |
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LCU and SRSU Series Snapshot
- LCU leads the all-time series 1-0.
- The only prior meeting between the two squads was earlier this season (Feb.8) in Lubbock, where LCU won 13-5 in a non-conference meeting.
- Kendra Levesque was 3-for-3 and Kawhi Ili was 2-for-2 with a home run and five RBI in the prior meeting.
Season Tidbits
- Lubbock Christian University softball is battling through an up-and-down season, currently sitting at 20-14 overall and 11-13 in Lone Star Conference play. The Lady Chaps dominate at home (13-4) but struggle on the road (3-9) and are looking to snap a four-game skid. Despite their inconsistency, they have secured big wins over St. Edward's, St. Mary's, and Texas Woman's while showcasing offensive firepower in high-scoring victories. Sitting sixth in the LSC West, LCU is entering the weekend tied for ninth in the LSC standings.
- Baylea Myers remains a key offensive force, batting .396 (13th in the LSC) with 42 hits (13th in the LSC), 26 RBI, and a .613 slugging percentage. She also ranks third in the LSC in sacrifice flies (3) and holds a .446 on-base percentage.
- The Lady Chaps' power continues to shine, ranking 48th nationally and eighth in the conference with 22 home runs. Kendra Levesque and Myers lead the team with four home runs each (24th in LSC). Nine different Lady Chaps have hit at least one home run this season.
- LCU ranks 24th nationally and third in the conference with 189 RBI, also ranking 38th nationally in RBI per game (5.56).
- The Lady Chaps' aggressive baserunning has been a factor, stealing 35 bases in 40 attempts, ranking eighth in the LSC. Kadin Vire (10-for-10) and Ili (8-for-8) continue to lead the way.
- Pitching remains steady with a team ERA of 3.92, ranking eighth in the conference. Kendall Ward has been a key contributor with a 3-1 record, a 2.36 ERA in 26.2 innings, and five saves (leads the LSC and tied for first nationally).
- Teoni Lamb (62.1 IP, 58 K) and Emily Dix (54.2 IP, 53 K) lead the pitching staff in strikeouts. Lamb averages 6.5 strikeouts per seven innings (12th in the LSC), while Dix averages 6.8 strikeouts per seven innings (10th in the conference).
- The Lady Chaps' defense remains solid, ranking third in the conference and 33rd nationally with a .969 fielding percentage. They have turned eight double plays, ranking ninth in the LSC.
- LCU leads the conference and ranks eighth nationally in sacrifice flies with 16. Riley Flores leads the team and co-leads the LSC with four.
- The Lady Chaps continue to be one of the top-scoring teams in the nation, ranking 29th in total runs (204) and 48th in scoring average (6.00 runs per game).
- LCU ranks 21st nationally and third in the LSC with 59 doubles, averaging 1.74 per game.
- Their ability to draw walks has been crucial, ranking 17th nationally and third in the LSC with 123 walks on the season.
- Teoni Lamb and Emily Dix remain key contributors in the circle, ranking in the top 20 in the conference for innings pitched, with Lamb recording four complete games.
- The Lady Chaps rank fifth in the LSC in shutouts (5), showing their ability to dominate games defensively.
Deeper Dive
- LCU continues to dominate early, outscoring opponents 41-16 in the first inning and 36-18 in the third. Their record when scoring first is now 14-5, emphasizing the importance of quick starts (13-2 when scoring in the first inning).
- Kawehi Ili remains a key clutch hitter, batting .414 (12-for-29) with runners in scoring position and .875 (7-for-8) when driving in a runner from third with fewer than two outs. She advances runners at a 59.2% success rate (29-for-49).
- Kristen Boyd (.405), Kendra Levesque (.351), and Baylea Myers (.414) continue to be consistent offensive threats, all hitting above .350 with runners in scoring position and excelling at advancing runners. Myers leads the team in advancing runners at a 56.1% success rate.
- Yaya Kaaialii leads the team in overall batting efficiency, hitting .396 (36-for-91) with runners in scoring position. Boyd leads in total hits in these situations with 15.
- LCU remains formidable when leading late, holding a 15-2 record when ahead after four innings and staying perfect at 8-0 when leading after six. They have also secured three comeback wins when trailing after six innings.
- High-scoring performances continue to translate to success—LCU is 16-2 when scoring 5+ runs, including a dominant 9-0 record when reaching double digits. Conversely, they struggle when held to two or fewer runs (1-10).
- Kristen Boyd (15-for-37) leads the team in bases-loaded situations, hitting .405. Kadin Vire follows closely at .343 (12-for-35) in these clutch moments.
- Power remains a factor—LCU is 3-0 when hitting multiple home runs and 16-4 when the opponent fails to homer.
- LCU has out-hit opponents in 15 games and is 14-1 in those contests. When out-hit, they are just 3-13.
- The team capitalizes on opponents' mistakes, holding a 10-2 record when the opposition commits multiple errors.
- Pitching and defense have been crucial in wins—LCU is 11-1 when holding opponents under three runs but just 3-8 when allowing 6-9 runs.
- LCU remains perfect in extra-inning games (2-0) and has performed well in shutouts (5-2), demonstrating their ability to close out tight contests.
Lone Star Conference Breakdown
- This season is LCU's sixth season in the LSC.
- LCU is 106-65 all-time in LSC play.
- The Lady Chaps went 24-18 last season in conference (sixth place in the standings).
- Snapshot of last season in the LSC for LCU.
- LCU is hit .308 in conference, with 40 home runs (allowed 28).
- The pitching staff had a 2.81 ERA in LSC play, with 211 strikeouts in 269.1 innings and held opponents to a .246 batting average.
- LCU's current record in Lone Star Conference play is 11-13. The Lady Chaps are hitting .273 as a team in conference games, with a .433 slugging percentage and 18 home runs.
- Yaya Kaaialii leads the team in OPS (1.033) while hitting .364 with six doubles and two home runs. She also leads the team in on-base percentage (.488) and runs scored (20).
- Baylea Myers continues to be a consistent hitter, batting .356 with a .972 OPS. She leads the team in hits (26), doubles (7), and total bases (41), while driving in 13 RBI.
- Kendra Levesque has provided power, hitting .324 with four home runs and 18 RBI. She has a .979 OPS and 43 total bases.
- Kristen Boyd remains one of the team's top extra-base hitters, with eight doubles and two home runs, driving in 17 RBI, and maintaining a .968 OPS.
- Piper Garcia has contributed offensively, hitting .269 with two home runs and seven RBI in 15 games played.
- LCU's pitching staff has a 4.40 ERA in conference play, with opponents hitting .285 against them.
- Natalee Gray has been effective with a 3.79 ERA and a .283 batting average against. She's allowed 13 earned runs in 24 innings, striking out 14.
- Teoni Lamb, the team's workhorse, has a 4.32 ERA and leads the staff with 44 strikeouts in 48.2 innings pitched, including four complete games.
- Emily Dix leads the team in wins with a 5-4 record, posting a 5.42 ERA in 41.1 innings with 32 strikeouts.
- Reese Farrar has been dominant in limited action, recording a 3.00 ERA and holding opponents to a .205 batting average in 11.2 innings.
On the Road Again
- LCU is 3-9 in away games this season.
- Baylea Myers continues to lead the team with a .368 batting average (14-for-38), collecting 5 doubles, a triple, and a home run for a .632 slugging percentage. She has also driven in 7 RBI.
- Kadin Vire is hitting .300 (12-for-40) and leads the team with 3 stolen bases on 3 attempts.
- Ashlinn Hamilton boasts a .417 batting average (10-for-24) with 4 doubles and a home run, leading the team with a .708 slugging percentage.
- Kendra Levesque has recorded 7 RBI while hitting .216 (8-for-37) with 3 doubles and a home run.
- Yaya Kaaialii is getting on base at a .350 clip, drawing 4 walks and getting hit by a pitch once, with a .257 batting average (9-for-35).
- Natalee Gray has been LCU's most effective starter on the road, holding a 2-1 record with a 2.15 ERA over 13.1 innings, allowing just 4 earned runs while limiting opponents to a .264 batting average.
- Kendall Ward has been effective in relief, posting a 3.15 ERA and earning 3 saves, holding hitters to a .250 average in 6.2 innings.
- Ashlinn Hamilton & Reese Farrar have combined for 5.0 shutout innings, allowing just 3 hits.
- The Chaps' defense has been solid with a .970 fielding percentage, matching their opponents.
- Kendra Levesque (69 putouts, 1.000 fielding %) and Kristen Boyd (30 putouts, 1.000 fielding %) have anchored the defense.
- LCU has collected 19 doubles, 1 triple, and 3 home runs in 12 away games.
- The team has drawn 29 walks, showing patience at the plate.
- Despite a 3-9 road record, LCU has been competitive, as they've only been outhit by 3 total hits (74 to 81).
Streaking Along
Coach Talk
- LCU head coach Daren Hays is in his 15th season at the helm of the Lady Chaps.
- Hays is LCU's winningest softball head coach, entering Friday with a softball record of 572-210.
- Along with surpassing 550 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. Combine the two sports and Hays has coached in 1,253 total games at LCU.
Looking at SRSU
- Sul Ross State is currently 7-26 overall and 4-20 in conference play, sitting at the bottom of the LSC standings. They have struggled, with a .212 overall winning percentage and a .167 conference record. However, they are coming off an 8-7 win over Western New Mexico. The team has a 3-9 home record.
- Troy Canaba will resign as Assistant A.D. of Operations and head coach of Sul Ross State's softball team after the 2025 season to pursue a new opportunity. During his tenure, he led the Lobos to 140 wins, four winning seasons, and significant facility improvements. Canaba also coached volleyball, earning multiple awards and accolades.
- Vivian Jimenez has been a standout for Sul Ross State, boasting a .319 batting average and a solid .812 OPS. Her consistent performance in 33 games, including 7 stolen bases, highlights her key role in the lineup.
- Alyvia Quintana has led the pitching staff with 72.1 innings pitched, earning 3 wins and showing resilience despite a challenging season. Her 20 strikeouts and solid effort on the mound have kept the team competitive in several matchups.
- Tori Owens has provided a boost at the plate with a .294 average and seven RBI in 23 games. The former Lady Chap has six doubles on the season.
