The Duster Today

Issue date: 5/22/08 Section: LCU Sports

Media Credit: Marcom Photo Hawkins was tourney "MVP".

Media Credit: Marcom Photo Rodriguez sparked the Lady Chaps offensively as well as with the glove.

Media Credit: Marcom Photo Freshman Parsons was behind the plate for all 21 innings of "championship day".

Media Credit: Marcom Photo Gonzalez teamed with Griego to form outstanding pitching duo.

The "dream" season that had been the inaugural campaign for the Lubbock Christian University softball team came to an end in Decature, AL on Wednesday afternoon … with the Lady Chaps as NAIA NATIONAL CHAMPIONS. Yes, the first-year LCU program wrapped up an improbable championship run as they won a trio of games on the final day of the national tourney, defeating Point Loma Nazarene 4-0 to reach the title matchup with Mobile (AL) before claiming back-to-back 4-3 and 2-1 victories to win the crown.

"It's hard to believe, but these girls have proven all year long that they belong among the best teams in the country," said first-year head coach Shanon Hays of his championship club. "We never could have imagined when we started the year that we would win the national title, but when you have great players like we do anything is possible."

In the title game at the 28th Annual National Championship held at Wilson Morgan Softball Complex the Lady Chaps saw junior Kelly Griego start on the mound and she pitched 5.2 innings for the win, while senior Marissa Gonzalez (the lone senior on the team) tossed 1.1 innings for the save.

Lubbock Christian scored both runs in the top of the second inning. Junior Jade Espinoza singled and advanced to third on junior Sabrina Hernandez's single to right-center. Sophomore Daniela Garcia pinch hit for junior Lisa Stratton and singled to left to bring home Espinoza. Junior Honda Rodriguez drew a walk to load the bases and junior Raquel Hawkins, the Sooner Athletic Conference and NAIA Regional "Player of the Year" grounded out to second to drive in the second run.

Mobile scored its run in the sixth inning. Anadys Suarez doubled and scored on Kelyn Mendoza's double to deep right.

"It was really intense all day long," said LCU freshman catcher Amanda Parsons, who caught all 21 innings in the three games Wednesday. "It's amazing what we were able to accomplish and we're still just soaking it all in. I know I'm really, really worn out, but the idea that we are national champions makes some of that fatigue go away."

In the first matchup against Mobile on Wednesday, junior Ginalee Davis went 2-for-3 with three RBI and Griego came in relief to pitch 5.2 innings for the win.

Mobile's Anadys Suarez led off the second inning with single to left-center and moved to second on Jennifer Gomez's bunt single. After a sacrifice bunt, Jineth Pimentel gave the Rams the lead with a three-run home run to center field.

The Lady Chaps answered with three runs in the bottom of the fourth. Rodriguez started things off with a lead off double and scored on a Hawkins single. Davis knotted the score at three with a two-run home run to right field and she homered again in the sixth to give LCU the lead.

The Rams loaded the bases with one out in the seventh but grounded into double play that was started by Davis to end the game.

The Lady Chaps were able to advance to the title matchup by virtue of their win over Point Loma in the first game of the day.

Rodriguez drove in two runs while Stratton and Hawkins each had a RBI. Gonzalez pitched seven shutout innings for the win with six strikeouts.

Lubbock Christian manufactured two runs in the bottom of the second inning on five walks. Freshman Jessica Latson, pinch-running for junior Gabby Woody, and Jade Espinoza both scored from third on bases loaded walks. The Lady Chaps scored two more in the fourth to take a 4-0 lead. Espinoza led off the inning with single to the pitcher and moved to second on a wild throw. Sabrina Hernandez advanced Espinoza with a bunt single, while Rodriguez brought her home with a single to left-center. Hawkins followed with a single to deep right to score Hernandez from second.

Point Loma ended its season with 50-12 overall record.

,p>Lubbock Christian became the third team in NAIA softball history to come out of the loser's bracket to capture the title. St. Mary's (Texas) won in 1986 while Thomas (Ga.) did it in 2004.

The Lady Chaps finished their season with 60-10 overall record while the Rams end their season with 42-10 record.

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