Lady Chaps Advance To Bracket Play

GULF SHORES, Ala. (May 21, 2011) – Saturday, No.7 Lubbock Christian University needed a series of events to take place to advance out of pool play of the NAIA National Championship at Gulf Shores Sportsplex... and those events took place.  Simpson University upset No.23 Simon Fraser University with a 4-3 walk-off victory, and LCU, needing to win by at least two runs with Simpson’s win, defeated No.13 Reinhardt University 8-0.  The win places Lubbock Christian University into the eight-team double elimination bracket, where they will play Oregon Tech University at 10 a.m.

Flourishing in the shadows of LCU’s offense in the game was a one-hit pitching performance from Alyssa Freight.  She improved to 13-4 on the season and collected her team-leading seventh complete game shutout of the season. 

The Lady Chaparrals jumped on the scoreboard early with a two-run single to left field by Kim Frazier for a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. 

Sally Blackwell started for Cori Enriquez at shortstop, as Enriquez broke her hand Friday against Simon Fraser, and Blackwell stepped up with a big performance.  She went 2-for-2 with two runs and a run-batted-in.  The RBI came in the second inning on a single to shallow left field, which scored Kenzi Carnell.  LCU extended the lead to 4-0 later in the inning with Priscilla FaGaines hitting the left-centerfield fence for an RBI-double.  Blackwell’s second hit of the game set up a sacrifice fly by Kayla Van Dieren, which allowed Amanda Parsons to tag-up and score from third base for a 5-0 lead in the fourth inning.  Frazier was at the plate with two on base and catcher Ashley Kennedy attempted to pick-off Blackwell at third base, but the throw ended up in left field and a pair of runs scored.  Frazier completed the at-bat with a solo home run for her third home run at the championships and her 22nd home run of the season.

FaGaines, Frazier and Blackwell each had a pair of hits each for the Lady Chaps, and they combined for six of the team’s seven hits.

LCU improved to 52-10 on the season and Reinhardt had their season end at 40-11.  The Lady Chaps, Simon Fraser and Simpson all finished 2-1 in pool play, but LCU held the runs-for / runs-allowed differential tiebreaker. Simon Fraser becomes the first defending champion to not advance out of pool play since Oklahoma City University failed to advance in 2008.  Monday’s game will air on Sports Radio 1340 AM “The Fan,” and it can be viewed online at www.lcuchaps.com