SAN ANTONIO (April 27, 2016) – Since it started its softball program in 2008, Lubbock Christian (Texas) has been a vexing program for Oklahoma Christian, with OC winning only five times in 30 games all-time against the Lady Chaparrals.
OC is 0-4 against Lubbock Christian in the postseason, a streak the Lady Eagles look to end on Thursday, when OC and LCU play in a first-round game in the Heartland Conference Championship at the St. Mary's softball stadium. Game time is set for 1:30 p.m.
It will be the first postseason meeting as NCAA Division II members for third-seeded OC (26-24) and second-seeded LCU (42-12) after the two programs spent several years together in the NAIA's Sooner Athletic Conference. Both teams should have plenty of motivation.
OC's only path into the Division II tournament would be earning an automatic bid by winning the conference tournament – a tall task, but certainly possible given the right scenarios. The Lady Eagles' veteran players enjoyed much postseason success in the National Christian College Athletic Association, winning region championships and advancing to national-title games in 2014 and 2015.
LCU was No. 7 in the most recent Division II South Central Region official rankings, and with only eight teams in the regional tournament field, the Chaparrals could use a good showing at the conference tournament to avoid perhaps being bumped out should a Cinderella team win the Heartland, Lone Star or Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference tournaments.
Lubbock Christian has succeeded this season primarily because of its offensive firepower. The Chaparrals have hit 75 home runs and rank third in Division II in homers per game (1.39) and scoring (7.67 runs per game) and fifth in slugging percentage (.562). Nine LCU players have hit four or more homers this season, with Morgan Colburn the national leader in that category with 23.
OC's offense has been respectable – the Lady Eagles are third in the Heartland in batting average at .295 – and also is solid defensively. OC ranks eighth in Division II in double plays per game (0.5, or 25 for the season).
The Lady Eagles also have one of the conference's best pitchers in freshman left-hander
Madison Hagood, who is 17-9 with a 2.45 ERA. She has thrown 12 complete games and her seven shutouts ranks second in the conference and 23rd in Division II.
Lubbock Christian swept the season series against OC, winning 5-1, 5-4, and 10-2 in the games played March 24-25 in Lubbock, but OC won two of three last season against Lubbock Christian in Oklahoma City.
Fifth-seeded Texas A&M International (22-33) will face fourth-seeded St. Edward's (Texas) (26-22) at 11 a.m. in the Heartland tournament opener, followed by the OC-Lubbock Christian game. Top-seeded St. Mary's (40-9) will play the TAMIU-St. Edward's winner at 4 p.m., and the TAMIU-St. Edward's loser will face the OC-Lubbock Christian loser in an elimination game at 6:30 p.m.
Three games are scheduled for Friday, at noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. If OC beats Lubbock Christian on Thursday, the Lady Eagles will play in the noon game. The championship round will be played on Saturday, starting at 2 p.m.
