WICHITA FALLS, Texas -- Lubbock Christian's Skylar Herrera hit a solo home run in the top of the seventh to spoil another Midwestern State upset bid Sunday afternoon at Mustangs Park.

It was Herrera's second homer of the game and 10th of the season to lift the No. 17-ranked Lady Chaps to a 5-4 win in Game 2 after Lubbock Christian rolled to an 11-2 run-rule win in the opener.

Midwestern State jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the nightcap by scoring single runs in each of the first three innings.

Senior shortstop Ashley Turner smacked a leadoff homer to get the Mustangs going in the first inning. It was her seventh of the season as the Mustangs scored first in their fifth consecutive game. 

MSU used the speed game to manufacture a run in the second. Freshman Maci Sanders reached on a fielder's choice and took second when LCU left second base undefended. She also stole third base before scoring on Hanna Hetherington's single to left field.

The Mustangs loaded the bases with no outs in the third inning, but managed just one run on Daylan Inkman's sacrifice fly which scored Payton Griffin, who led off the frame with a double down the left-field line.

Herrera put the Lady Chaps on the board with a solo homer in the fourth inning, then Lubbock Christian chased MSU starter Addi Hanna with four consecutive hits in the fifth. Angela Donaldson's delivered the biggest blow with a two-run double to the left-field gap to give LCU its first lead of the game at 4-3.

Hanna allowed four runs on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings before giving way to Kennedy Cameron.

Midwestern State pulled even in the sixth inning with Turner and Bailey Brenek reaching on back-to-back singles off of LCU reliever and former teammate Mattye Tyler.

LCU ace Taylor Franco was unable to douse the threat as Hannah Hetherington and Peyton Lee drew back-to-back walks to force in a run and tie the game at 4-4. Franco escaped the inning when Griffin grounded into a double play.

Herrera launched the game winning home run on the third pitch in the top of the seventh inning.

Cameron (4-10) took the loss in relief allowing one run on four hits in 2 2/3 innings of relief.

Franco improved to 17-1 claiming wins in both ends of the doubleheader going 1 2/3 scoreless innings in relief.

In the opener, Franco allowed one earned run on two hits in five innings with seven strikeouts as the Lady Chaps rolled to an 11-2 run-rule win in five innings.

Peyton Lee drove in both of the Mustangs' run with a run-scoring single through the right-side in the first inning to plate Turner, who had reached an error and stole third base before coming in to score.

Brenek came into score on Lee's groundout to first base in the third inning after she and Hetherington reached on consecutive walks and move up on a wild pitch.

But Lubbock Christian put the game away with an eight-run third inning highlighted by Brooke Makemson's three-run homer as the Chaps sent 13 batters to the plate.

Kasey Flores added a homer in the second inning, while Caroline Chilton cleared the left-field fence with a solo shot in the fifth.

Midwestern State fell to 6-29 on the season and 5-15 in Lone Star Conference play, while Lubbock Christian improved to 30-6 and 16-4.

NOTABLES

- Junior Bailey Brenek extended her hitting streak to six games with her 14th multiple-hit game of the season in Game 2. She is hitting .563 (9-for-16) with three homers during the streak.
- Senior Ashley Turner hit her seventh home run of the season to lead off Game 2 Sunday against Lubbock Christian. She also recorded her 11th multiple-hit game going 2-for-4.
- Sophomore Peyton Lee has driven in runs in four of her last five games.

UP NEXT

Midwestern State hits the road to face West Texas A&M in a Lone Star Conference doubleheader Friday night at Schaefer Park. First pitches are slated for 4 and 6 p.m.
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