OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (February 27, 2026) – Lubbock Christian University is in the heart of a gauntlet, facing four consecutive nationally ranked opponents, and the stretch rolls on Friday with a 2 p.m. first pitch at Tom Heath Field as the Lady Chaps open a Lone Star Conference doubleheader against No. 13 Oklahoma Christian.
| LSC SOFTBALL |
| OPPONENT |
LOCATION |
DAY |
TIME (CT) |
VIDEO |
STATS |
WEATHER |
| Okla. Christian |
Oklahoma City, Okla. |
Fri., Feb. 27 |
2 p.m. |
Watch |
Stats |
Forecast |
| Okla. Christian |
Oklahoma City, Okla. |
Fri., Feb. 27 |
4 p.m. |
Watch |
Stats |
Forecast |
LCU and OC Series Snapshot
- Lubbock Christian and Oklahoma Christian have met 67 times, with their first matchup on February 29, 2008, with LCU holding a 40–27 edge in the all-time series. The 67 all-time meetings marks the most for LCU against any other opponent.
- The Lady Chaps once controlled the rivalry with a 13-game winning streak from 2011 to 2015 but have dropped eight of the last 11 meetings since March 2023.
- LCU owns a 20–7 record at home and is 12–14 on the road in the series, while OC has won five of the last six meetings in Oklahoma City.
- The longest win streak in the series belongs to LCU (13 games from Feb. 27, 2011 – April 10, 2015), while OC's longest run is a seven-game streak from May 7, 2022 – Feb. 16, 2024.
- The teams have played two Lone Star Conference Championship (tournament) game. The first was a 13-inning thriller in 2022 that set a tournament record for length, with OC outlasting LCU 10–9 despite a six-run Lady Chaps comeback. LCU returned the favor last season with an 11-3 win as the No.5-seed in Canyon, Texas, as LCU eliminated No.4-seed and No.22 Eagles.
- LCU is 7–4 against OC in conference tournaments overall, dating back to Heartland and Sooner Athletic Conference postseason play.
- The rivalry has featured several close games — 15 of the 67 matchups have been decided by a single run.
- The two teams have met 11 times over the prior three seasons ((five meetings in 2023), with OC owning an 8-3 mark over the span. LCU won two of the three meetings last season, claiming a 12-4 win in six innings on Feb. 16, 2025 in Lubbock and their 11-3 LSC Championships win (May 1, 2025) in Canyon.
Season Tidbits
- LCU is 8–8 overall and 4–2 in Lone Star Conference play after splitting a homestand series (sweeping UT Permian Basin, but being swept by No. 9 Angelo State.) After an 0-5 start to the season, LCU is 8-3 in their last 11 games.
- The Lady Chaps are hitting .293 as a team (7th in the LSC) with 136 hits, 28 doubles and six triples through 16 games. LCU ranks 31st nationally in total hits and 44th nationally in total runs (85).
- LCU leads the Lone Star Conference and ranks 10th nationally with eight double plays turned (0.50 per game).
- Kadin Vire is batting .472 (25-for-53) with eight doubles and three triples. She leads the LSC in doubles and doubles per game, ranks third in the conference in hits and is top-10 in on-base percentage (.525) and slugging (.736). Vire has scored 17 runs and has reached base safely in 13 consecutive games.
- Alexis Pacheco ranks first nationally and in the LSC with 54 assists (3.38 per game) while adding 15 hits, seven RBI and two home runs at the plate.
- Brianna Chambers-Lee is hitting .341 with nine RBI, while Ashlinn Hamilton has driven in 13 runs. Coryn Burris leads the team with 14 RBI and is tied for the team lead with two home runs.
- Ava Castillo leads the team with five stolen bases, and LCU is 19-of-27 (70.4%) in stolen base attempts.
- In the circle, LCU owns a 3.13 team ERA (4th in the LSC) and a 1.40 WHIP (4th in conference). The Lady Chaps have recorded four shutouts and four complete games.
- Natalee Gray (3–1, 2.43 ERA) ranks second in the LSC in hits allowed per seven innings (4.64) and leads the conference in WHIP (0.85). She also ranks fourth in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.67).
- Freshman Lexi Clark (3–1, 2.07 ERA) has thrown one complete game shutout and is holding opponents to a .236 batting average. She was named LSC Freshman of the Week after hitting .500 and posting a 0.88 ERA during conference play last week.
- Kendall Ward (2–2) is tied for the LSC lead with two saves and has made eight pitching appearances.
- LCU ranks third in the Lone Star Conference in triples (6) and is fifth in doubles (28).
- The Lady Chaps are outscoring opponents 85–73 and averaging 5.31 runs per game while limiting opponents to a .256 batting average.
Lone Star Conference Breakdown
- This season is LCU's seventh season in the LSC.
- LCU is 125-72 all-time in LSC play.
- The Lady Chaps went 26-18 last season in conference (third in the West Division standings at 18-10).
- LCU is 4-2 this season in LSC play (opened up conference with a 4-0 start for the second time ever as LSC members).
- LCU is hitting .291 in conference games with 52 hits and 37 runs scored (6.2 runs per game). The Lady Chaps own a .360 on-base percentage and have already produced 13 extra-base hits (10 doubles, 2 triples, 1 home run) in six league contests.
- Kadin Vire is batting .476 in LSC play (10-for-21) with four doubles, a triple and a .762 slugging percentage. She has reached base at a .542 clip and is 1-for-1 in stolen base attempts while posting a .971 fielding percentage behind the plate and in the outfield.
- Alexis Clark is hitting .333 in conference action while also dominating in the circle. She is 2-0 with a 0.47 ERA in 15.0 innings, allowing just one earned run and holding opponents to a .170 batting average.
- As a staff, LCU owns a 2.02 ERA in conference games with a 1.09 WHIP, limiting opponents to a .194 batting average. The Lady Chaps have struck out 32 batters in 45 innings while allowing four doubles and five home runs.
- LCU has surrendered only 16 total runs (13 earned) in six league games and holds a .970 fielding percentage. Opponents are hitting just .194, and the Lady Chaps have successfully turned three double plays while allowing only two.
King of the Road
- LCU is a perfect 4-0 away from home, including a 2-0 Lone Star Conference mark. The Lady Chaps have won three of the four road games by shutout and carry a four-game overall road winning streak.
- LCU owns a microscopic 0.21 team ERA in road games, allowing just two total runs (one earned) over 34 innings. Opponents are hitting just .127 with only 14 total hits and zero home runs.
- Natalee Gray has been electric on the road, going 1-0 with a 0.54 ERA and holding opponents to a .025 batting average (1 hit in 13.0 innings and a perfect game) while striking out 11 and issuing no walks.
- Offensively, LCU is hitting .254 on the road with 15 extra-base hits (13 doubles, 2 triples). Kadin Vire is batting .500 with four doubles and a triple, posting an .875 slugging percentage in away games.
- LCU has outscored opponents 18-2 on the road and has not allowed a run in five of seven defensive innings. The Lady Chaps are 1-0 in one-run road games and 2-0 in games decided by five or more runs.
Streaking Along
- Kadin Vire had an 11-game hit streak, which is the longest of the season by a Lady Chap. She actively leads the team in reaching base safely in 13 straight games.
- LCU has several players currently co-leading the team with an active two-game hit streak.
- Additionally, Vire leads LCU with nine multi-hit performances (seven are two-hit games).
- Ashlinn Hamilton leads LCU with three multi-RBI performances.
Coach Talk
- LCU head coach Daren Hays is in his 16th season at the helm of the Lady Chaps.
- Hays is LCU's winningest softball head coach, entering the weekend with a softball record of 596-226.
- 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 1,293 total games at LCU.
Looking at OC
- No. 13 Oklahoma Christian enters the weekend at 13-3 overall and 5-1 in Lone Star Conference play, riding a three-game winning streak. The Eagles went 4-2 last week with wins over No. 13 Rogers State, No. 5 West Texas A&M and a sweep of Eastern New Mexico.
- OC is hitting .331 as a team (No. 60 nationally, No. 5 LSC) and averaging 5.5 runs per game. They rank top-40 nationally in total runs (88) and RBIs (80), while their 29 doubles rank 19th nationally and fourth in the LSC. Six regulars are hitting .327 or better.
- Senior Kadence Brewster is batting .411 with eight doubles, two triples and two home runs, posting a .732 slugging percentage. She ranks top-10 nationally in doubles and top-15 in total bases, serving as the engine of OC's offense.
- Jill Dickson (6-2, 2.41 ERA) and Ella Resendiz (3-0, 3.16 ERA, 3 saves) headline the pitching staff. Dickson has 44 strikeouts in 40.2 innings and ranks among the LSC leaders in wins and strikeouts per seven innings (7.8). Resendiz owns a 3.67 strikeout-to-walk ratio and recently tossed a nine-strikeout complete game at ENMU.
- The Eagles rank No. 33 nationally in strikeouts per seven innings (6.49), which leads the LSC. Defensively, they field at a .969 clip (second in the LSC), combining offensive depth with steady glove work.
