May 18, 2009

DECATUR, Ala. - Alyssa Gutierrez pitched her first no hitter with the Lady Chaparrals, the first this season for the program and the fourth in program history, as the No.2 Lubbock Christian University Lady Chaps defeated No.18 Shorter College 8-0 to claim Pool B and advance into the field of eight teams in double elimination bracket play.  LCU (54-5) swept pool play (3-0) and will face Sooner Athletic Conference foe St. Gregory's University Monday at 11 a.m.

Gutierrez (28-2) faced two batters over the minimum in five innings of work, as she walked the first batter she faced and hit the next-to-last batter.  She had five strikeouts with ten of the fifteen putouts completed by the infield (no balls were hit into the outfield). 

Offensively, the Lady Chaps provided Gutierrez run support early.  Ginalee Davis hit a two-run ground-rule double to spark a three-run first inning.  They used a trio of singles and a double, from Honda Rodriguez, to produce four runs in the second inning.  Kelly Griego completed a 3-for-3 performance with her fourth RBI with a single in the bottom of the fourth inning to close the game's scoring.  Davis contributed 3 RBI in the win.

LCU is now 7-0 all-time in pool play.  The win sets up the sixth match-up of the season against St. Gregory's.  LCU has won four of the five prior meetings this season.  It will also mark the second consecutive season the two teams have met in bracket play.  LCU defeated SGU 3-1 last season in Decatur.