WICHITA FALLS, Texas – Midwestern State's home opener is also the Lone Star Conference opener as the Mustangs host Lubbock Christian in a doubleheader on Sunday afternoon at Mustangs Park. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
Midwestern State (2-6) is 2-4 in one-run games to start the season, and two losses have come against ranked opponents. No. 18 Rogers State defeated the Mustangs, 4-2, at the Rogers State Festival last week, and No. 9 Augustana State was an 8-4 winner in the D2 Lone Star College Classic on Feb. 1.
The Mustangs pitching staff enters conference play with a 2.63 ERA and has recorded 31 strikeouts over 53 1/3 innings with just 12 walks. Opponents are hitting .294 against MSU this season.
Kayleigh Bowers has thrown four complete games, but despite a 1.79 ERA the junior right-hander from Phoenix, Arizona, is still seeking her first win of the season. Bowers has allowed seven runs over 27 1/3 innings and has 13 strikeouts while issuing just four walks.
Isabella Cornell and Kaylin Salazar are both 1-0 to start the season. Shyanne Florence has three starts in the circle for the Mustangs. The junior from Humble, Texas, did not allow an earned run over six innings against Rogers State, allowing six hits with five strikeouts, and she did not give up a base on balls.
Freshman infielder Chipper Mayorga is leading the offense with a .385 batting average an OPS of .852. The San Antonio native has eight RBIs on 10 hits.
Paige Scanlin has two home runs for the Mustangs, including a game-winning three run homer in a 10-9 victory over Rockhurst. The junior outfielder from Conroe, Texas, also hit a game-tying home run in the fifth inning of a 2-1 season-opening loss to Central Missouri.
Scanlin, Marisela Landa and Madison Stewart all have four RBIs for the Mustangs. Landa has three of the six doubles for MSU this season.
Mayorga, Erikha Ibarra-Subia and Stormy Daniel all have three stolen bases. Sydnie Rios has swiped two bases for the Mustangs, who have successfully stolen 13 bases on 16 attempts.
LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (4-6)
The Lady Chaps also opened the season at the D2 Lone Star College Classic and lost three games, including a 7-3 loss to Augustana State. Lubbock Christian was 2-3 at the D2 West Coast Challenge in Lake Elsinore, California before shutting out Vanguard twice in a double header on Tuesday in Costa Mesa, California.
Natalee Gray (2-0, 1.31) threw the second perfect game in program history in a 4-0 victory over Vanguard. It was the second no-hitter in Gray's career as she threw just 73 pitches in the 32nd no-hitter in LCU history. The Lady Chaps have had 19 no-hitters since joining the NCAA.
Gray is one of four pitchers to start in the circle for the Lady Chaps. The staff has a 3.90 ERA and opponents are hitting .296 and have hit nine home runs against LCU through their first 10 games.
The Lady Chaps hit.295 with 25 extra-base hits, including 18 doubles and four triples.
Junior catcher Kadin Vire from Waxahachie, Texas, is hitting .469 with four doubles and two triples for LCU.
Coryn Burris leads the Lady Chaps with two home runs and 12 RBIs. The freshman infielder from North Richland Hills drove in six runs with two homers in an 11-10 loss to San Francisco State.
Ava Castillo and Madison Hunter are both 3 for 3 on stolen base attempts. The Lady Chaps have 10 steals, but they have been caught stealing five times.
Lubbock Christian is fielding .948 with 16 errors but has turned five double plays this season.
Midwestern State continues its six-game homestand with a doubleheader against Angelo State on Feb. 20, starting at 2 p.m.
-- MSUMustangs.com --
