CANYON Texas (May 8, 2025) – It's a quick return to Canyon for Lubbock Christian University, as the Lady Chaps head back to Schaeffer Park—site of last weekend's Lone Star Conference Championship—to open play in the 2025 NCAA Division II South Central Regional. LCU, the No. 7-seed in the four-team, double-elimination tournament, begins its postseason run Thursday at 2:30 p.m. against No.2-seed and site host No. 3 West Texas A&M.
The Scenario
- If LCU defeats West Texas A&M, LCU will play Friday in a Semifinals contest at 12 p.m. against No.3-seed No.3 8 Angelo State or No.6-seed Colorado Mesa.
- A loss would place LCU into a 2:30 p.m. elimination game Friday.
| NCAA DIV.II SOUTH CENTRAL REGIONAL |
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| West Texas A&M |
Canyon, Texas |
Thur., May. 8 |
2:30 p.m. |
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None |
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Tournament Website |
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LCU and WT Series Snapshot
- Lubbock Christian and West Texas A&M have met 38 times since their first matchup on March 11, 2008, with WT holding a 26–12 lead in the all-time series.
- The Lady Chaps won the inaugural meeting in dominant fashion, 11–0, but have gone just 2–10 over the last 12 meetings.
- LCU is 8–12 at home and 4–14 on the road against WT.
- Since joining the Lone Star Conference, LCU is 3–11 versus the Lady Buffs in conference matchups.
- LCU's longest win streak in the series is five games (2008–2011), while WT's longest streak is six straight wins (2019–2022).
- WT is 4–1 against LCU in 2025, including a 6–0 win in Canyon on May 2 in the first-ever LSC postseason meeting between the two teams.
- That May 2 contest was also the first time the two teams have ever played in May, with WT scoring early and never trailing in the LSC Tournament matchup.
- Four of the last nine meetings since 2022 have been decided by one run, reflecting a growing competitiveness in the rivalry.
- Here are some notes on this season's series between the two teams:
- WT has taken four of five games from LCU in 2025, sweeping a doubleheader in Canyon (2–0, 4–2 on March 23), splitting in Lubbock (LCU won 4–1, lost 6–4 on April 25), and winning their prior meeting, a LSC postseason contest, 6–0 in Canyon on May 2.
- LCU snapped WT's 28-game win streak and handed them their first LSC West loss with a 4–1 upset of No. 1 WT in Game 1 of the April 25 doubleheader.
- Kristen Boyd hit a go-ahead 3-run homer in that win, while Teoni Lamb and Reese Farrar combined to allow just one run on six hits.
- WT responded with a 6–4 win in the nightcap, which finished near 1 a.m. following a six-hour weather delay.
- In the May 2 postseason meeting, LCU was shut out for the second time in the series and LCU was held to five hits.
- LCU hit .264 (25-for-95) as a team across five games against WT, while the Lady Buffs batted .268 (33-for-123) and slugged .496 with seven home runs.
- WT has outscored LCU 26–10 over the five-game set.
- Kristen Boyd leads LCU with a .308 average (4-for-13), slugging .615 with a home run and double.
- Sophia Reyes is batting .375 (3-for-8) and was stellar defensively, throwing out two base stealers.
- Teoni Lamb went 1–1 with a 1.85 ERA in 11.1 IP, while Reese Farrar posted a 3.82 ERA over 7.1 IP, earning one save and one loss.
- Despite LCU's overall struggles, the Lady Chaps have committed just three errors and turned two double plays in the series.
NCAA Postseason Breakdown
- This tournament marks LCU's fifth appearance in the NCAA postseason and their first at a site hosted by West Texas A&M. The Lady Chaps have previously appeared in the South Central Regional in 2016 (San Antonio), 2017 (San Angelo), 2022 (Tyler), and 2023 (Tyler).
- LCU is 4-8 all-time in NCAA postseason play. The Lady Chaps went 1-2 in their last tournament appearance (2023 in Tyler).
- LCU is hitting .262 all-time in NCAA postseason play and owns a staff ERA of 5.51. Savannah Wysocki is LCU's all-time postseason hits leader, batting .529 (9 hits in 4 games).
- Riley Flores is the only active Lady Chap with an NCAA postseason plate appearance and is 3-for-8 (.375) in three games played.
- LCU has seven home runs all-time in NCAA postseason contests, with four coming from former Lady Chap Sydney Beuthien.
- Taylor Franco is LCU's all-time wins leader in NCAA postseason play, going 2-1 with a 3.79 ERA and 11 strikeouts over 19.0 innings.
- Ashlinn Hamilton is LCU's only active pitcher with NCAA postseason experience, logging 2.0 innings of relief with a 4.50 ERA.
- LCU has faced nationally ranked opponents in 10 of its 12 NCAA postseason games, holding a 2-8 record in those contests.
Season Tidbits
- The Lady Chaps (36-20) just appeared in their fifth consecutive appearance in the LSC Championship after finishing third in the West Division standings (18-10) and with the fifth-best LSC record (26-18).
- Baylea Myers continues to be a consistent presence in LCU's lineup, ranking ninth in the LSC with 69 hits and tied for fourth in the league with four sacrifice flies—also 62nd nationally. She ranks 10th in the LSC in total assists (105) and 12th in assists per game (1.88), helping anchor a defense that ranks fifth in the LSC and 28th nationally with a .970 fielding percentage. Myers is also tied for 12th in the LSC with 14 doubles and holds a .645 slugging percentage, which ranks among the top 25 in the conference.
- LCU's power production remains balanced and deep, now ranking seventh in the LSC and 30th nationally with 46 home runs. Kendra Levesque leads the team with 12 home runs (7th LSC, 55th nationally), followed by Myers (8) and Ashlinn Hamilton (7). Nine different Lady Chaps have homered this season, demonstrating the depth and threat throughout the lineup.
- The Lady Chaps continue to be among the most productive offenses in the country, ranking third in the LSC and 11th nationally with 321 RBI, and averaging 5.73 RBI per game (3rd LSC, 21st nationally). They've scored 348 total runs (4th LSC, 17th nationally) and average 6.21 per game (4th LSC, 25th nationally). Their .406 on-base percentage ranks fourth in the LSC and 22nd nationally, buoyed by 192 walks—sixth-most in the conference and 14th nationally.
- Doubles have remained a hallmark of LCU's offensive attack, as they lead the LSC and rank third nationally with 112 total doubles. Their 2.00 doubles per game is first in the conference and fourth in NCAA Division II. Kendra Levesque ranks second in all of Division II with 23 doubles, while Kristen Boyd ranks second in the LSC and fifth nationally with 20.
- On the bases, the Lady Chaps have swiped 49 bases in 54 attempts, ranking seventh in the LSC and 141st nationally. Their 0.88 steals per game stands ninth in the conference. Kadin Vire leads the team with 14 steals (12th LSC), remaining perfect on attempts, while Kawehi Ili is 10-for-11.
- LCU's pitching staff owns a 3.60 ERA, placing them fifth in the LSC and 111th nationally. Kendall Ward leads the LSC and ranks 12th nationally with five saves. Teoni Lamb has logged 127.1 innings (13th LSC), started 23 games (7th LSC), and appeared in 27 contests (17th LSC). She ranks 11th in the conference with 110 strikeouts and stands fifth in strikeouts per seven innings (5.34), while also ranking fourth in the LSC with a 2.24 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
- The Lady Chaps remain one of the nation's top situational hitting teams, tied for second in the LSC and 18th nationally with 21 sacrifice flies. Myers and Riley Flores each have four, tying for fourth in the LSC and 62nd nationally.
- Defensively, LCU ranks fifth in the LSC and 28th nationally with a .970 fielding percentage. The Lady Chaps have turned 18 double plays (5th LSC, 59th nationally) and average 0.32 per game (5th LSC, 86th nationally). Myers leads the team in total assists (105, 10th LSC), followed by Boyd (98, 12th) and Flores (86, 20th). Myers (1.88 apg) and Boyd (1.75) also rank among the top 15 in the conference for assists per game.
Deeper Dive
- LCU continues to control games early and late, outscoring opponents 62–24 in the first inning and 60–24 in the sixth. The Lady Chaps are 23–7 when scoring first, including 18–3 when plating a run in the opening frame.
- Kawehi Ili is batting .393 (22-for-56) with runners in scoring position and remains lethal with a runner on third and fewer than two outs, converting at a .750 rate (12-for-16). She's successfully advanced runners 55.4% of the time (51-for-92) and ranks third on the team with a .468 on-base percentage in advancement opportunities.
- Kristen Boyd leads LCU with 18 two-out RBIs and a team-best .460 average (29-for-63) with runners in scoring position. She's also plating a runner from third with less than two outs at a rate of .706 (12-for-17), and has a 56.7% advancement rate (59-for-104).
- Kendra Levesque (.407), Baylea Myers (.345), and Yaya Kaaialii (.342) continue to be clutch in RISP situations. Levesque is 12-for-14 (.857) with a runner on third and under two outs and owns a team-high 59.0% advancement rate (69-for-117).
- The Lady Chaps are 23–1 when scoring six or more runs and a perfect 12–0 when reaching double digits. They're just 1–13 when held to two runs or fewer.
- LCU holds a 24–2 record when out-hitting opponents but is just 4–17 when collecting fewer hits. The team is also 6–0 when the hit total is even.
- Defensively strong games remain a key to success: the Lady Chaps are 19–1 when allowing two or fewer runs, but fall to 5–11 when surrendering six or more.
- LCU is 16–1 when leading after six innings and is a perfect 3–0 in extra-inning contests. The team has also posted four comeback wins when trailing after six.
- Power continues to be a difference-maker: the Lady Chaps are 7–1 when hitting multiple home runs and 25–6 when holding opponents to one home run or none.
- In bases-loaded spots, Kristen Boyd (4-for-7, .571), Kendra Levesque (4-for-7, .571), and Kadin Vire (3 hits) have been the most productive.
- • LCU capitalizes on miscues, going 13–4 when opponents commit multiple errors. They're also 7–2 in shutout victories.
- The Lady Chaps dominate in lopsided outcomes, boasting a 17–2 record in games decided by five or more runs.
Lone Star Conference Breakdown
- This season is LCU's sixth season in the LSC.
- LCU is 121-70 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 completed this season 26–18 in Lone Star Conference play, hitting .308 as a team with 41 home runs, 94 doubles, and a .395 OBP.
- Kendra Levesque led the offense, batting .413 with 11 home runs, 18 doubles, 46 RBI, and a 1.270 OPS in 44 starts.
- The pitching staff held a 3.75 ERA in conference play with 209 strikeouts in 284 innings, plus 12 complete games and six saves.
- Kendall Ward had four saves, a 2.76 ERA, and a .260 opponent average over 33.0 innings. She produced four wins in relief.
- Teoni Lamb went 9–7 with a 3.23 ERA, a team-high 106.1 innings pitched, 102 strikeouts, and 10 complete games.
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 Thursday with a softball record of 588-216.
- Along with surpassing 575 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 1,275 total games at LCU.
Looking at WT
- West Texas A&M enters the NCAA tournament with the most explosive offense in NCAA Division II, leading the nation in batting average (.372), hits (581), home runs (91), RBIs (438), total runs (498), scoring (8.74 runs per game), and slugging percentage (.652). The Lady Buffs also rank top-three nationally in walks (206), on-base percentage (.444), and triples (33), showcasing a balanced attack that can both slug and manufacture runs.
- Emilee Boyer headlines the nation's top lineup, ranking seventh nationally with a .477 batting average and leading all of Division II in RBIs (88), slugging percentage (.987), and total home runs (21). One of the most dangerous hitters in the country, Boyer also contributes in the circle, leading the team with 224 strikeouts, and is among the DII leaders in total starts (30).
- The Lady Buffs complement their potent offense with a strong pitching staff that owns a 2.07 ERA and ranks fourth in the country in strikeouts per seven innings (7.70). The staff is anchored by Boyer and Heidi Vortherms (1.97 ERA, 121 strikeouts), who provide a one-two punch that gives WT the ability to control games both offensively and defensively.
- WT features one of the deepest lineups in Division II, with 13 players hitting .300 or better on the season. Alongside Boyer, senior Lauren Granger ranks among national leaders in total bases (156, 2nd), hits (80, 17th), and triples (7, 14th), making the Lady Buffs dangerous from top to bottom in the batting order.
- West Texas A&M is making its 13th NCAA postseason appearance and enters this year's tournament with a 52–5 record. Under head coach Michael Mook, WT has a 13–6 NCAA Tournament record and will host a regional for the third straight year. The program boasts two national titles (2014, 2021) and has advanced to the super regional round or beyond in four of the last six tournaments.
