LUBBOCK, Texas (March 31, 2015) –
Ethan Kohnle tied a program single-game record with three doubles and his four runs-batted-in helped Lubbock Christian University end a three-game losing streak and extend a streak of consecutive wins in nonconference games to six with a 13-10 win over Eastern New Mexico University Tuesday evening at Hays Field.
The game's start was delayed 51 minutes following a thunderstorm that rolled through, and once the game started, it was raining runs. An error by the Chaps on the game's first at-bat led to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning for ENMU. LCU responded with a three-run inning, with Kohnle's first double giving LCU a 3-2 lead. The Greyhounds scored their third unearned run in the second inning to tie the game 3-3, but LCU never let ENMU jump back out in front.
Jesse Pintado hit a two-run triple and Kohnle's second double of the game capped a four-run second inning to allow LCU to take a 7-3 lead.
A three-run fourth inning and a RBI-single by Pintado in the fifth inning provided LCU an 11-4 lead, but back came the Greyhounds. Daniel Ward hit a three-run home run over the centerfield wall for his third homer of the season and it cut LCU's lead to 11-7. A two-run seventh inning and a run driven in by Jacob Cluff in the eighth inning provided ENMU with six straight runs and cut LCU's lead to 11-10.
The Chaps garnered some needed insurance in the bottom of the eighth inning with Kohnle's third double resulting in a pair of runs scoring and LCU extended their lead to 13-10. Pintado moved from shortstop to the mound for his first pitching performance of the season and he held ENMU off the scoreboard to claim the save.
Despite the teams combining for 23 runs off 20 hits, the game featured a combined 33 strikeouts. LCU produced 18 strikeouts, marking their highest tallied total since striking out 19 on Apr. 11, 2011 against Wayland Baptist. The Chaps used six pitchers and
Jay Rawlins led LCU striking out seven of the 11 batters faced over 2.2 innings. He was the winning pitcher (4-0) allowing one run off two hits in a relief outing for starter
Elfego Torres. ENMU's Julian Heredia accomplished the Olympic Rings going 0-for-5 with five strikeouts, with each strikeout coming against a different Chaps pitcher. LCU did their part at struggling at the plate, as ENMU produced 15 strikeouts, with Ward making his season debut on the mound and striking out six of his 10 batters faced over the final two innings of the game. He was one of five Greyhound pitchers. Daniel Schiller started the game and allowed four runs off three hits in one inning. He suffered the loss to fall to 0-1.
LCU sent 11 different batters to the plate and ENMU sent 15 different batters to the plate, but each team only had five different batters producing hits. Kohnle (3-for-4),
Hunter McFall (3-for-4), Pintado (2-for-3) and
Jose Favela each had multi-hit games for LCU. They each drove in multiple runs, with Kohnle (4) and Pintado (3) leading the Chaps. McFall also scored four runs. Ward (2-for-5) drove in four runs and Cluff was 3-for-5 in the losing cause for ENMU.
Kohnle's three doubles marked the third time this season and the 23rd time in program history a Chap has hit three doubles in a game.
Wade Stramp was the last Chaps player to complete the task, completing the task on Feb. 6 against New Mexico Highlands.
The Chaps evened their overall record to 16-16 with the win. The Greyhounds fell to 9-19. LCU quickly returns to conference play Thursday, heading to Goodwell, Okla. for a 1 p.m. doubleheader to open a three-game Heartland Conference series with Oklahoma Panhandle State.
