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Lubbock Christian University softball player Kawehi Ili is pictured mid-action during a game. She wears a sky-blue uniform with red accents, featuring the number 6 on her jersey. Ili is on a turf field, positioned on the dirt portion near the infield, and is throwing a softball with her right hand while wearing a teal glove on her left. Her expression is focused as she completes the throw. She also wears a blue visor with reflective sunglasses and long blue sleeves under her jersey. The background includes a black chain-link fence and blurred spectators
3
Winner Colorado Mesa CMSB 40-16
1
Lubbock Christian LCU 36-22
Winner
Colorado Mesa CMSB
40-16
3
Final
1
Lubbock Christian LCU
36-22
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 R H E
Colorado Mesa CMSB 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 9 0
Lubbock Christian LCU 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 11 2

W: Jessalyn Gallegos (19-4) L: Ward, Kendall (6-2)

Game Recap: Softball | | Chris Due (chris.due@lcu.edu)

Lady Chaps Season Ends in Extra-Inning Heartbreaker

Lubbock Christian Outhits Mavericks but Strands Eight in Season-Ending 3-1 Loss

CANYON, Texas (May 9, 2025) – Facing elimination in the Canyon Bracket of the NCAA Division II South Central Region, No. 7-seed Lubbock Christian University braced for a long day (needing a pair of wins). Instead, they got a marathon game. Despite outhitting No. 6-seed Colorado Mesa 11-9, the Lady Chaps were held scoreless after the opening inning and left eight runners stranded. A two-run 10th inning proved decisive, as the Mavericks edged LCU 3-1, bringing the Lady Chaps' postseason journey to a close with a final record of 36-22.
 
Kendall Ward (6-2) came out of the bullpen for Lubbock Christian (36-22) and matched her season-high appearance in the circle with seven innings, giving up two runs on seven hits. Another freshman, Natalee Gray started the game in the circle and went three innings, giving up one run on two hits, with one walk and three strikeouts.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
LCU jumped out quickly with an aggressive first inning. After Kawehi Ili singled and advanced to third on a wild pitch, she stole home during a double steal with Kristen Boyd to give the Lady Chaps a 1-0 lead. The early run stood until the fourth inning, when Colorado Mesa capitalized on a leadoff double by Chloe Valdez. A wild pitch moved her to third, and Olivia Litzen drove her in with a sacrifice fly to left, tying the game 1-1.
 
Both teams had opportunities to break the deadlock in regulation. LCU stranded two runners in both the fourth and fifth innings, including leaving runners on second and third in the fifth following singles by Riley Flores and Ili. The Chaps again threatened in the sixth after Boyd singled and advanced to third on a pair of productive outs, but a foul out left her 60 feet away. In the seventh, Colorado Mesa saw a two-out single from Ally Distler but left her on base, while LCU's potential walk-off chance fizzled with a double play ending the threat. Another CMU double play ended the ninth inning, as LCU had a baserunner thrown out at home.
 
The decisive 10th inning opened with Distler drawing a walk and Chloe Valdez reaching on a fielder's choice. Litzen then delivered the game-winner, lining a two-run single to left to put Mesa up 3-1. LCU managed a one-out single from Boyd in the home half but couldn't rally as two groundouts sealed the loss.
 
Jessalyn Gallegos worked eight innings for CMU, scattering nine hits and a run to earn the win, while Preslee Christensen closed with two scoreless frames. Kendall Ward, who entered in the fourth, pitched into the 10th and took the loss despite holding Mesa to two runs over seven innings. Ili led LCU at the plate with three hits and a stolen base, while Boyd added three hits of her own and also swiped a bag.
 
GAME NOTES
» Ili led the Chaparrals, amassing three base hits in the ballgame (3-for-5). She completed the tournament 4-for-8 at the plate.

» Lubbock Christian entered the NCAA postseason 18-3 when scoring in the first inning and 25-7, when scoring in the first inning, but lost both games in Canyon despite scoring first (18-5) and in the first inning (25-9).
 
» LCU was 8-for-10 in the game getting the leadoff batter aboard base, but went 4-for-23 with runners on base, 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position and 1-for-10 in two-out at-bats. The Lady Chaps had three baserunners retired on the basepaths.
 
» Four Lubbock Christian hitters had multiple base knocks in the ballgame

» The Chaparrals out-hit the Mavericks at an 11-9 clip, marking LCU's third loss on the season when out-hitting their opponent (26-3)

» LCU fell in an extra inning game for the first time this season (3-1) and for the second time in their NCAA postseason history (1-2). It was their longest NCAA postseason game since playing 13 innings in a 2-1 win on May 12, 2022 against Angelo State.

» Colorado Mesa was led offensively by Olivia Litzen, who went 2 for 4 with three RBI.

» Jessalyn Gallegos led the Mavericks pitching staff, throwing eight innings of one-run ball.
 
» Kristen Boyd led LCU in the tournament this season, hitting .714 (5-for-7) with two doubles and two RBI.
 
» The loss was LCU's first over a 22-game stretch against an unranked program.
 
» LCU completed their fifth NCAA postseason appearance and they fall to 4-10 all-time in NCAA postseason play.
 
HISTORY LESSON
The two programs were meeting for the second time all-time, as CMU remains perfect (2-0) against LCU. Both losses have been neutral site NCAA postseason matchups and in elimination games.

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