LUBBOCK, Texas (May 2, 2026) –
Ashlinn Hamilton drove in three runs in a 7-5 loss to Western New Mexico, but the Lady Chaparrals bounced back in the second game of the Lone Star Conference doubleheader, with Hamilton closing out a 6-3 win with a pair of scoreless innings in the circle Saturday afternoon at Maner Park.
GAME 1
Western New Mexico used a late surge and capitalized on defensive miscues to take the opening game of Saturday's doubleheader, defeating Lubbock Christian 7-5.
The Mustangs (23-24, 19-18 LSC) received a complete-game effort from Alixe De Anda (9-9), who limited LCU to five runs on seven hits, while Maria Ruelaz powered the offense with two home runs and three RBI. Addisen Byers also homered and drove in a run for WNMU, and Abbi Markus added a pair of hits and two RBI.
Lubbock Christian (25-22, 21-16 LSC) was led by
Ashlinn Hamilton, who went 2-for-2 with a three-run home run, and
Coryn Burris, who added a two-run shot in the loss.
Lexi Clark made the start in the circle for LCU, allowing four runs (three earned) over 3.1 innings, while
Reese Farrar (1-1) took the loss in relief after surrendering three runs across the final 3.2 innings.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Western New Mexico struck first in the opening inning, stringing together three hits, including an RBI single from Jenna Peters to take a 1-0 lead. Lubbock Christian answered in the second when Hamilton drew a walk ahead of Burris, who launched a two-run home run to left field to give the Lady Chaps a 2-1 advantage.
The Mustangs regained control in the fourth inning, using a solo home run from Ruelaz to tie the game before taking advantage of two LCU errors later in the frame. Markus delivered a two-run single as part of a three-run inning, pushing WNMU back in front 4-2.
LCU responded in the fifth with its biggest swing of the game.
Cat Prisock opened the inning with a single, and
Riley Flores was hit by a pitch before
Kadin Vire moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. After a lineout, Hamilton delivered a three-run home run to right field, giving Lubbock Christian a 5-4 lead.
Western New Mexico answered immediately in the sixth, as Byers connected on a solo home run to even the score at 5-5. The game remained tied into the seventh, when the Mustangs delivered the decisive blow. Following a leadoff single, Ruelaz launched her second home run of the game, a two-run shot to right field, to give WNMU a 7-5 advantage.
LCU threatened in the bottom of the seventh with a leadoff bunt single from Prisock, but a fielder's choice and a game-ending double play erased the rally, sealing the Mustangs' victory.
GAME NOTES
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Cat Prisock was 3-for-3 at the plate with her fourth multi-hit game of the season a her first three-hit performance of her career.
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Ashlinn Hamilton matched her home run total from last season, hitting her seventh home run of the season and 14
th of her career. Hamilton was 2-for-2 with a trio of RBI. She had her 10
th multi-hit game of the season and extended her team lead in multi-RBI games to 11 games.
»
Coryn Burris blasted a two-run home run to left field for her team-leading ninth home run of the season.
GAME 2
Lubbock Christian responded to an opening-game setback by securing a split of Saturday's doubleheader with a 6-3 victory.
The Lady Chaps (26-22, 22-16 LSC) used a balanced offensive attack and a key middle-inning surge to back a steady start from
Kendall Ward (6-4), who earned the win after allowing three runs on eight hits over five innings.
Ashlinn Hamilton closed the door with two scoreless innings to record her first save of the season.
LCU tallied nine hits in the contest, highlighted by
Brianna Chambers-Lee, who went 1-for-3 with a home run and two RBI, while
Julie Muniz added a 2-for-3 performance with a double and an RBI.
Kadin Vire contributed a hit and two RBI, and
Lexi Clark delivered a key pinch-hit RBI single.
Western New Mexico (23-25, 19-19 LSC) was paced by Jenna Peters, who hit a two-run home run, while Lanessa Morales and Hannah Martinez each collected two hits. Labraida Tenorio (8-9) took the loss in a complete-game effort, allowing six runs on nine hits.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Western New Mexico struck first in the opening inning, as Ciara Spencer worked a leadoff walk and came around to score on Abbi Markus' RBI double to right-center, giving the Mustangs a 1-0 lead.
Lubbock Christian answered in the second inning.
Ashlinn Hamilton opened the frame with a single, and after a pair of fielder's choices and a hit-by-pitch put runners in scoring position,
Julie Muniz delivered an RBI double down the left field line to tie the game at 1-1.
The Mustangs regained the lead in the third when Lanessa Morales singled ahead of Jenna Peters, who launched a two-run home run to center field to push Western New Mexico in front 3-1.
LCU quickly countered in the bottom half of the inning.
Ava Castillo tripled to open the frame and scored on a sacrifice fly from
Kadin Vire. Two batters later, Chambers-Lee connected on a solo home run to center, evening the score at 3-3.
The decisive inning came in the fourth, when the Lady Chaps plated three runs on four hits.
Kenzie Kauk singled to start the rally and was replaced by pinch runner
Piper Garcia, who moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Muniz followed with a single to put runners at the corners before
Lexi Clark delivered a pinch-hit RBI single up the middle to give LCU its first lead at 4-3. Castillo reached on a fielder's choice to reload the bases, and Vire drove in another run with a single through the right side. Chambers-Lee capped the rally with an RBI fielder's choice, extending the lead to 6-3.
Western New Mexico threatened in the fifth, placing runners on base, but LCU turned a key double play to erase the opportunity and maintain the three-run advantage. The Mustangs also put a runner in scoring position in the sixth, but Hamilton entered in relief and stranded the runner before retiring the side in order in the seventh, sealing the 6-3 win and the doubleheader split.
GAME NOTES
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Brianna Chambers-Lee hit her third home run of the season and all three have come over a five-game span. Chambers-Lee actively leads LCU with a six-game hit streak.
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Julie Muniz went 2-for-2 for her fourth multi-hit game of the season.
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Piper Garcia, who was celebrating her birthday, reached base in each game and has a team-leading active streak of nine consecutive games reaching base safely.
» Hamilton and Prisock each led LCU on the afternoon, hitting 3-for-5 in the combined two games.
» Hamilton completed the second game with her first save of the season, and it was her second career save (first since her sophomore season.
» LCU moved to 11-7 at home this season.
HISTORY LESSON
LCU is now 22-2 all-time against WNMU, and they are 15-2 at home against WNMU.
WHAT'S NEXT
The Lady Chaps close out the regular season Sunday at 1 p.m. against Sul Ross State in a Lone Star Conference doubleheader at Maner Park.
