LSC SOFTBALL
Lone Star Conference contests start this week with teams playing a single round-robin conference schedule with a doubleheader (two games) against each league opponent.  The LSC Champion will be the team(s) with the best winning percentage in regular-season conference games.
      UT Tyler (10-0) remains undefeated after four weeks of non-conference contests.  Oklahoma Christian went 3-0 last week.
      LSC softball teams are 160-111 overall this season.  In the NCAA Division II South Central Region, the group is currently 34-14 combined versus Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference teams.
      LSC schedule and results available here: http://www.lonestarconference.org/calendar.aspx?path=softball&&
 
LSC SOFTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
The single-elimination LSC Championship featuring the top 10 teams will be played April 30-May 2, 2020, at the No. 1 seed.  The winner of the postseason championship will be recognized as LSC Tournament Champion and receive the league’s automatic qualification into NCAA postseason.
 
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
HITTER
Brie Dunckel, Oklahoma Christian University, SR, Interdisciplinary Studies, 2B, Valley Center, Calif., Valley Center HS
Dunckel, OC’s leadoff hitter, posted a near-perfect .900 on-base percentage, scored five runs and stole five bases in as many attempts as the Eagles went 3-0 on the final weekend of the Edmond Regional Festival, including a 6-5 win over No. 22 Rogers State that improved OC’s record to 15-3. She scored the game-winning runs in all three games - a 3-1 win over Pittsburg State, a 9-0 win over Nebraska-Kearney and the win over Rogers State. Against RSU, she went 3 for 3 with a hit-by-pitch, two runs scored and a stolen base in the Eagles’ first win over a ranked foe this season.
 
PITCHER
Taylor Franco, Lubbock Christian University, SO, Exercise Health Promotion, P, Monahans, Texas, Monahans
Franco led LCU to wins over UT Permian Basin and No. 24 Tarleton State combining for a 0.00 ERA. She was impressive with 14 strikeouts and no walks in 11.0 innings on the week. She pitched a complete-game shutout against TSU, going 7.0 innings and allowed seven hits (all singles) and struck out eight batters to improve to 8-2 on the season. She forced TSU into 12 groundouts (one flyout) on a windy day in which the wind was howling out with measured gusts surpassing 40mph. The complete game was her fifth of the season and 13th of her career, and the complete game shutout was her third of the season and sixth of her career. Against UTPB, she went four innings of a five-inning blowout victory. She allowed one hit and struck out six batters. To combine the week's performance, she allowed eight hits (all singles) and produced 17 groundouts (one fly out on the week).
 
WEEKLY AWARDS
Hitter
F-3       Jaiden Johnson, Oklahoma Christian
F-11     Haleigh Swinney, UT Tyler
F-18     Jayme Johns, St. Mary's
F-25     Brie Dunckel, Oklahoma Christian
 
Pitcher
F-3       Breanna Smith, Texas A&M-Kingsville
F-11     Meagan Hill, Angelo State
F-18     Turner Whorton, Cameron
F-25     Taylor Franco, Lubbock Christian
 
SELECTED NOTABLE PERFORMANCES
      Alyx Cordell, West Texas A&M University, dominated at the plate for the Lady Buffs at the LCU Invitational this past weekend.  In four games, the senior hit .750 (9-for-12) with four home runs, two doubles, eight RBIs, eight runs scored, a .769 on-base percentage and a 1.917 slugging percentage.  The Canyon native batted 1.000 against UT Permian Basin (3-for-3) and Eastern New Mexico (4-for-4), including two home runs in each game.  With the help of Cordell, WT recorded a 3-1 record at the round robin and scored 34 runs. 
      Jordan Neely, St. Edward's University, was dominant at the plate, posting an impressive .667 batting average with six hits in nine at bats as the Hilltoppers went 3-1 this week in their final weekend of non-conference play.
      Alivia Villarreal, Lubbock Christian University, was 3-for-5 on the week and reached base successfully in nine of her at-bats (.818 on base percentage), as she had three hits, received four walks and was hit twice. In a win over Eastern New Mexico, she was 1-for-1 with three RBI with a home run (her first of the season). All three of her RBI on the week were two-out RBI. She was 2-for-2 when batting with the bases empty. LCU went 3-1 in the LCU Invitational, which was highlighted with a 2-0 victory over No. 24 Tarleton State.
      Marissa Salinas, The University of Texas Permian Basin, had a huge Sunday to close the weekend, going 4-for-4 with two home runs, six RBI and a double that just missed being a third home run.  The junior carried the Falcon offense, scoring or driving in eight of the team's nine runs on the afternoon.  She now sports a .327 batting average and leads the team with four home runs and 13 RBI.  Salinas is tied for second on the team with 16 hits and also leads the Falcons in the circle with a 4.99 ERA and 33 strikeouts to showcase her all-around game.
      Madison Schaefer, Texas A&M University-Commerce, was a major force for the Lions last week, hitting .538 against some top competition, while hitting three home runs and driving in six runs for A&M-Commerce, with hits in all four games on the weekend. Against Fort Hays State, she had a pair of two-run home runs, driving in four runs. She then had two more hits against Nebraska Kearney. She had another hit against Rogers State, and added a pair of hits, including a home run, against Central Oklahoma.
      Paige Tamayo, Texas Woman's University, went 1-for-2 with a homer and two RBIs at No. 22 Rogers State... led the way offensively in TWU's sweep of Ottawa (Kan.) with a 3-for-4, 5 RBI effort in the opening game of the doubleheader that saw her hit two doubles and one homer... also went deep in a 2-for-4, 3 RBI performance in the nightcap.
      Destiny Crumpley, Tarleton State University, was a dominant force at the plate and supplied plenty of offense in Tarleton’s come-from-behind victory over Eastern New Mexico Saturday in Lubbock. Crumpley had two home runs and five RBI. Including the go-ahead three-run double to beat the Greyhounds in the tournament opener. For the weekend, Crumpley hit .444 and slugged 1.222.
      Azalea Martinez, Eastern New Mexico University, hit three home runs in the Greyhounds win over 14-9 UT Permian Basin this past weekend in Lubbock, TX. The freshman hit a home run each time she went up to bat, twice sending just herself around the bases. Martinez has appeared in nine out of thirteen games for the Greyhounds and is recording a batting average of .400.
      Reagan Carter, St. Edward's University, dominated in the circle for the Hilltoppers, logging two complete games and one shutout while not allowing a single earned run in 14 innings of work. She allowed just five hits with five strikeouts and walked only three as SEU went 3-1 this week.
      Julia Wernet, Tarleton State University, came out of the bullpen and delivered a win against Eastern New Mexico with four innings of scoreless relief.
      Alyssa LeBlanc, Texas A&M University-Commerce, was an ace for the Lions last week, getting two wins and a save in her three appearances. She had a 0.47 ERA, giving up just one earned run in 15.0 innings pitched with 22 strikeouts and only two walks. She pitched a complete game and gave up only 1 run with 11 strikeouts against Fort Hays State on Friday, before also pitching a full inning and getting a strikeout and a save against Nebraska Kearney. She then had 10 strikeouts and did not give up an earned run in the team's win over Central Oklahoma.
      Lindsey Stoeckel, Oklahoma Christian University, earned a win and a save (against a top-25 foe) as the Eagles went 3-0 on the final weekend of the Edmond Regional Festival. She pitched a complete game in a 9-0 win over Nebraska-Kearney, allowing only four hits while striking out four. Stoeckel entered the game against No. 22 Rogers State in the fourth inning and went the rest of the way – ending the game with a strikeout with two RSU runners in scoring position – as the Eagles won 6-5, recording a rare four-inning save as OC beat a ranked foe for the first time this season. Opponents hit only .162 against her. 
      Paige Sasser, Texas A&M International University, was the driving force that helped the Dustdevils upset No. 15 Texas A&M-Kingsville 5-3 in the second game of a doubleheader on Saturday. In complete 7.0 inning performance, Sasser scattered five hits, only walked two batters and only gave up three runs.