Feb. 14, 2010

Story courtesy of Lubbock Christian Athletic Media Relations

LUBBOCK, Texas - Alyssa Gutierrez picked up a pair of wins in the circle for No. 5 Lubbock Christian University (Texas) Saturday afternoon at PlainsCapital Park against Eastern New Mexico University. The Lady Chaps won the first game of the double header 10-0 in five innings and won the second game 8-5. Gutierrez was the starter in the first game and pitched a complete game; in the second game of the double header, Gutierrez relieved Jori Rodgers in the top of the fourth inning and went on to record her third victory of the season.

The Lady Chaps started off the first inning of the first game scoring three runs, including a two-run homerun by Kim Frazier. It was the third consecutive game Frazier had belted a home run in her first at-bat of the game. In the second inning, LCU scored two more runs, one by a wild pitch and the second on an RBI double by Cori Enriquez. The third inning was the largest run total of the afternoon by the Lady Chaps, scoring five runs on three hits and two errors. Gutierrez pitched five shutout innings with four strikeouts, only giving up two hits and walking three batters.

The second game of the double header was much closer with a 4-4 tie going into the fifth inning. In the bottom of the fifth inning, after Eastern New Mexico had scored a run in the top of the inning for a 5-4 lead, Lubbock Christian scored four runs on four hits and an error to go ahead 8-5. Stephanie Rendon highlighted the inning with a two-run double to left field to cap a 2-for-2 performance with four runs-batted-in.

Kayla Van Dieren went 2-4 in the second game and combined to go 5-7 for both games. Gutierrez came in to relieve Rodgers in the top of the fourth inning and pitched 3 1/3 innings, allowing one run and four hits in the victory. Kimberly Crouse (0-3) was the losing pitcher by allowing three earned runs off five hits in 2 2/3 innings of relief work.

Lubbock Christian (4-0) will play in the Cowtown Tournament in Fort Worth, Texas, on Feb. 19-20, opening up against Graceland University (Iowa) at 10 a.m. The Lady Chaps claimed the Cowtown Tournament last season.