LCU Sports Recap for April 4, 2011

Melissa Hartkop combined to go 5-for-6 from the plate with a home run and three RBI in Saturday’s doubleheader, as No.17 Lubbock Christian University defeated Mid-America Christian University in a pair of 8-0 finals at PlainsCapital Park to sweep a Sooner Athletic Conference doubleheader.

Meagan Navarrette pitched a gem in the opener for LCU, as she pitched a complete six inning shutout with only three hits allowed. She improved to 10-0 while facing just three batters over the minimum. The Lady Chaps scored at least one run in every inning except the fifth inning. Hartkop, Kim Frazier and Stephanie Rendon each had a pair of hits for LCU. Rendon hit a single in the first inning, which drove in a pair of the three runs she drove in.

Alyssa Freight and Carollin Hall combined for a two-hit shutout in the second game. Offensively, LCU benefited from Hartkop’s 3-for-3 performance. Kayla Van Dieren and Latainna Eltsosie each had multi-hit performances for the Lady Chaps. LCU scored at least one run in every inning, including a three run fourth inning highlighted by a triple from Van Dieren.

The Lady Chaps improved to 29-6 with the sweep, while Mid-America Christian fell to 6-19 overall. LCU is 10-4 in the SAC, while MACU remains winless at 0-12. The Lady Chaps remain home Friday to host St. Gregory’s University beginning at noon.

No.18 Lubbock Christian University benefited from a 15-run third inning to open a doubleheader against Arizona Christian University with a 21-2 victory and then completed the four-game series sweep with five players having multi-hit performances, including a 4-for-4 performance by Dominic Piazza, en route to a 19-12 victory Saturday evening at Hays Field.

The 15-run third inning in the opener included 12 unearned runs. The Chaps sent 18 batters to the plate, with 11 batting with two outs. LCU recorded seven hits, five players walked and a pair were hit by a pitch in the inning. Ryan Meade had the biggest impact in the inning with five runs-batted-in during the inning. Each of his hits during the inning came with the bases loaded, as he had a single to drive in a run followed by a grand slam home run. He finished the game 2-for-3 with five RBI. Meade’s home run was the second Chaps home run of the game. Ryan Burnaman produced the other homer for LCU in the first inning with a lead-off solo home run for his third home run of the season and the first which has cleared fence.

The Chaps held ACU to four hits in the game and starting pitcher Tyler Rogers was able to go four innings in his season pitching debut. He allowed a pair of runs off four hits and struck out four to record the win and open the season 1-0 on the mound. Karson Robinson pitched a scoreless fifth inning to bring the game to a close with the run rule activated. Burnaman (2-for-2), David Cruz (2-for-3), Karl Seiter (2-for-3) and Chandler Griffin (3-for-3) joined Meade with multi-hit performances.

In the second game, LCU scored at least one run in five of the six innings of at-bats. They had a six-run first inning highlighted by a pair of hits by Burnaman, with a lead-off double and a two-run single. LCU had six hits in the inning. They built the lead to 10-0 in the third inning with four runs, including a three-run home run for Richard Bohlken, who smacked his 13th of the season. Shane Ingram left the mound after three scoreless innings pitched and Cameron Ray came in, but the Firestorm mounted a comeback against him and Robinson after they each only lasted 0.1 innings. David Madgrigal hit his first of two homers in the game in the fourth inning and ACU produced nine runs off nine hits to cut the LCU lead to 10-9. Piazza singled in a run and Burnaman hit his second double of the game to extend the LCU lead to 12-9 in the bottom of the fourth inning. Each team collected a run in the fifth inning and LCU exploded for six runs off five hits in the sixth inning to lead 19-10.

The Chaps sweep the four game series with the pair of wins Saturday. They improve their win streak to seven games and their record goes to 27-8. Arizona Christian, a first year program, drops to 14-26 and they have lost six consecutive games. The Chaps remain home Tuesday and will host University of the Southwest (N.M.).

From Chris Due.