LUBBOCK, Texas. – The Newman softball team opened Heartland Conference play with a road split against Lubbock Christian Sunday afternoon (Feb. 24). The Jets took the first game 7-3 before falling 23-7 in the second game of the doubleheader. The Jets are now 2-5 on the year and 1-1 in the Heartland, while Lubbock Christian is now 10-2 on the year and 1-1 in conference play.
Game 1
Behind Paige Wallace and Kameron Pope's two RBI each, the Newman softball team started off conference play on the right foot Sunday afternoon (Feb. 24) taking game one of the doubleheader 7-3 against Lubbock Christian.
The Jets scored three runs in the first two innings, but the Chapparrels climbed back into the game with a solo-home run from KK Lopez-Lui trimming the Jets lead down to 3-1.
In the top of the fourth, Wallace singled up the middle to score Lauren Kuhrt extending the Newman lead back out to 4-1. The Jets and Chaps each went scoreless in the fifth and sixth innings. In the seventh, Emma Eck scored on a wild pitch and Lacey Colvin scored to seal the 7-3 victory.
Pope finished the game going 3-3 with 2-RBI's and a walk. Lacey Colvin added in a 2-for-4 performance scoring a pair of runs in the win.
Chantel Purcella (1-1) notched her first win of the season working a complete-game allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out four.
Game 2:
Looking for their first sweep of the season, game two started the opposite way that game one did. In the bottom of the second, the Chapparells scored four runs, two of which coming in on walks. Lopez-Liu scored hit a single, which scored one, and Lindzi Clemmer hit an RBI single for the other.
The Chaparrals put the game out of reach in the third inning crossing 15-runs in the inning before the Jets recorded an out. The Jets fell behind 20-0 as walks became a major factor in the inning as nine of the 20 runs were walked in.
The Jets tried to rally one last time in the top of the fourth striking for four runs cutting the deficit to 20-4. The Chaps countered back with three more runs in the bottom half of the fourth. The Jets got three in the top of the fifth, but the rally fell short as the Chaparrals won in the five inning run rule completing the doubleheader split, 23-7.
The Jets will hope to host their home opener on Tuesday (Feb.26) for a doubleheader with Fort Hays State. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. at the NU Softball Field in Wichita, Kan.
