MANSFIELD, Texas (February 1, 2026) – Lubbock Christian University was among several programs that mutually agreed to forego competition Saturday at the Lone Star Classic due to sub-freezing temperatures, prompting a reshuffling of the remainder of the event's schedule. As a result, the Lady Chaps will conclude their opening weekend with a single contest Sunday at Fields at Station 63, facing Washburn at a revised start time of 10 a.m. LCU's scheduled game against Metropolitan State of Denver has been canceled to allow MSU Denver to depart early for its return flight to Colorado.
 

LONE STAR CLASSIC
OPPONENT	LOCATION	DAY	TIME (CT)	VIDEO	STATS	WEATHER
Washburn	Fields at Station 63 (Field 4)	Sun., Feb. 1	10 a.m.	Watch ($)	Stats	Forecast

     
LCU and WU Series Snapshot

• The all-time series is tied 1-1. The series opened with a 7-0 LCU win on Feb. 5, 2021 in Lubbock, and the prior meeting was also played in Lubbock, but resulted in a 2-0 Washburn win on Feb. 2, 2023.
• The prior two meetings were each part of the Lubbock Sports College Invitational and each were LCU's home opener (the 2023 meeting doubled as their season opener).
• Taylor Franco pitched complete games in each of the prior two meetings, pitching a complete-game (7 innings) one-hitter in the 2021 meeting. Brooke Makemson hit a pair of home runs in that game as well.

 
LCU at the Lone Star Classic — Friday's Takeaways

• Competitive start against elite competition
  Lubbock Christian opened the 2026 season with two one-run-position games against Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference powers, falling 7–3 to No. 9 Augustana and 7–6 to Minnesota Duluth. Both contests featured late-game pressure situations, highlighted by a seventh-inning rally against Duluth that brought the tying run into scoring position.
• Newcomers make immediate impact
  Eleven Lady Chaps made their LCU debut over the opening day, with several producing offensively. Ava Castillo led the lineup by going 4-for-8 (.500) across the two games with two runs scored and a stolen base, while second-year Lady Chaps catcher Kadin Vire hit .429 with a double and three RBIs.
• Extra-base production shows early promise
  Despite limited overall hitting (.255 team average), LCU produced timely power and gap-to-gap contact. Alexis Pacheco launched her first collegiate home run, Ashlinn Hamilton drove in three runs with a pair of doubles, and the Lady Chaps totaled three doubles and a home run against nationally tested pitching staffs.
• Pitching steadies after early damage
  LCU's bullpen provided encouraging signs. Lexi Clark struck out four in three scoreless innings against Minnesota Duluth, while Natalee Gray allowed no runs in the sophomore's season debut. After early deficits in both games, LCU pitching kept the Lady Chaps within striking distance late.
• Early-season resilience on display
  The Lady Chaps stranded 11 runners and faced multiple deficits, yet responded with rallies in both contests. LCU scored four runs in the seventh inning against Minnesota Duluth and erased a three-run deficit earlier in the day against Augustana, showing composure and fight from a roster blending experience with first-year contributors.

The Lady Chaps are 2-5 all-time in games played in Mansfield, but this is their first season competing in the Lone Star Classic and playing games at Fields at Station 63, which are artificial turfed fields at a sports complex formerly known as Big League Dreams and Mansfield Sports Park (previous trip to Mansfield was part of the  North Texas Softball Bash in 2015 at James McKnight Park East).  Here is a brief rundown of their games played Friday in Mansfield.
 
vs. No. 9 Augustana (L, 7–3)
Augustana broke a tie game with a three-run homer in the fifth inning, backing a complete-game effort. Ava Castillo went 3-for-4 in her LCU debut, while Kadin Vire and Ashlinn Hamilton drove in runs during a three-run fourth.
 
vs. Minnesota Duluth (L, 7–6)
LCU rallied with four runs in the seventh to bring the tying run to second base, but Minnesota Duluth held on. Alexis Pacheco homered, Kadin Vire recorded two hits and an RBI, and Ashlinn Hamilton delivered a two-run double in the comeback attempt.