April 13, 2010

HOBBS, N.M. – Lubbock Christian University’s Kim Frazier needed just one home run to break the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) single-season home run record.  Instead, Frazier hit three home runs, including a grand slam, in a doubleheader sweep over University of the Southwest Monday afternoon.  Frazier hit one homer in the No.5 Lady Chaparrals 9-0 victory and two in their 12-2 victory, which places her with an NAIA single-season record 32 home runs on the season.

The sophomore from Buena Park, Calif. hit her first home run to score two runs and it came against Lady Mustangs pitcher Ruby Garza in the second inning of the first game.  The home run broke the NAIA record which was shared by Tracey Mosley (Oklahoma City Univ. – 1995) and Tabitha Foster (Peru State – 2007).  Her second home run of the day was a solo blast off Lady Mustangs pitcher Chelsey Martin, and the final home run of the day was a grand slam hit off of pitcher Liz Garcia.  The trio of homers moves her into second place on the national collegiate single-season home run list.  The national collegiate record is held by Laura Espinoza (Arizona, NCAA Div. I), who hit 37 in 1995.

Frazier remarkably combined to go 6-for-8 at the plate in the doubleheader with eight runs-batted-in, seven runs and two doubles to go along with her three home runs.  The eight runs-batted-in moves her into second among the NAIA single-season leaders with 91.  The NAIA record is 99 set in 1994 by Melissa Dowlen of Athens State (Ala.) and the national collegiate record is 128 by Espinoza from the 1995 season.  The six hits provided Frazier with 17 total bases on the day and 184 on the season, which moved her from ninth to fourth on the NAIA single-season list.  The record in the NAIA is 215 held by Mosley from the 1995 season.

As for the games, LCU had little trouble extending their winning streak to ten games.  In the opener, LCU scored runs in all five innings, including a four-run first inning to cruise to the 9-0 win.  It was Frazier who opened the scoring with a double to score Kayla Van Dieren in the first inning.  Frazier’s first home run provided LCU with a pair of runs in the second inning and the Lady Chaps led 6-0.  A single from Kim’s sister Jennifer provided a run in the third inning and Clarissa Maldonado drove in a run in the fourth inning for an 8-0 advantage before the scoring closed with Addie Freeman hitting a pinch-hit single to score a run in the fifth inning.

Alyssa Gutierrez pitched the first inning, but then handed the ball over to Jori Rodgers, who improved to 13-2 with the win.  She allowed three hits in four innings of scoreless work.  Kim Frazier went 3-for-3 in the opener with three runs and three runs-batted-in.  Maldonado (2-for-3) Latainna Eltsosie (2-for-3) also had multi-hit performances in the opener.

Kim Frazier batted in the lead-off spot in the second games and opened the game with a double to jumpstart a three-run first inning off five hits. Eltsosie and Amanda Parsons each drove in a pair of runs off doubles in the second inning to extend the Lady Chaps lead to 7-1 after USW manufactured a run in the bottom of the first inning.  Kim Frazier hit a solo home run in the third inning and the run was matched in the bottom half of the inning by Blakely Jenkins, who led off with a triple and scored on a wild pitch from Brandi Luck, who replaced Rodgers in the third inning.  Kim just missed getting a third home run in the second game, as she hit a deep fly ball to centerfield and the centerfielder Jenkins went up against the fence and elevated to rob a homer away from Frazier. She wouldn’t be robbed in her final at-bat, as she drilled a line drive grand slam over the fence in the sixth inning for a 12-2 lead and that activated the run-rule through six innings.

Four players had a three-hit game in the second game.  Along with Kim’s 3-for-5 performance, which included four runs and five RBI, Van Dieren was 3-for-4, FaGaines was 3-for-3, and Parsons was 3-for-4.  Parsons and Eltsosie each had three RBI in the game.  Brandi Luck garnered the win for LCU, as she allowed one run on one hit and retired the final ten batters faced in four innings of work.  She improved to 2-0 with the win.

LCU improves to 42-4 on the season with the wins and they return to Sooner Athletic Conference action Thursday in Chickasha, Okla. facing University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma for a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m.  The games can be heard online through www.lcuchaps.com with live scoring links also available.

KIM FRAZIER WATCH:
NAIA SINGLE SEASON HOME RUN LEADERS
32, Kim Frazier, Lubbock Christian, 2010
29, Tracey Mosley, Oklahoma City, 1995
29, Tabitha Foster, Peru State (Neb.), 2007

NATIONAL COLLEGIATE SINGLE SEASON HOME RUN LEADERS
37, Laura Espinoza, Arizona (NCAA - Div. I), 1995
32, Kim Frazier, Lubbock Christian, 2010

NAIA SINGLE SEASON RBI LEADERS
99, Melissa Dowlen, Athens State (Ala.), 1994
91, Kim Frazier, Lubbock Christian, 2010

NAIA SINGLE SEASON TOTAL BASES LEADERS
215, Tracey Mosley, Oklahoma City, 1995
197, Melissa Dowlen, Athens State (Ala.), 1994
193, Amanda Howard, Oklahoma City, 2009
184, Kim Frazier, Lubbock Christian, 2010

KEEPING AN EYE ON
NATIONAL COLLEGIATE SINGLE SEASON RBI RECORD
Record: 128, Laura Espinoza, Arizona (NCAA - Div I), 1995
Frazier:  91

NAIA SINGLE SEASON SLUGGING PERCENTAGE RECORD
Record: 1.120, Tracey Mosley, Oklahoma City, 1995
Frazier: 1.428

NATIONAL COLLEGIATE SLUGGING PERCENTAGE RECORD
Record: 1.451 Angela Estes, Miles (NCAA - Div. II), 2003
Frazier: 1.428