PUEBLO, Colo. (February 27, 2016) – Hunter McFall hit a pair of home runs and No.6 Lubbock Christian University used another solid pitching performance from Guillaume Blanchette, but the two performances could only lead to a split of a Saturday doubleheader. The Chaparrals opened with a complete game shutout performance by Blanchette in a 6-0 win but then fell 15-7 in the second game against Colorado State University – Pueblo at Rawlings Field.
 
Blanchette pitched his first complete game shutout of his LCU career in the opener. Coming off a complete game one-hitter against No.9 Angelo State, which led to NCBWA National Pitcher of the Week accolades, Blanchette went seven scoreless innings and allowed four hits. He struck out six batters and did not walk any batters. The win improved his season record to 3-0 this season. He has now pitched 26.1 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run and has pitched a complete game in three consecutive starts.
 
LCU's bats provided Blanchette insurance early, gaining a 3-0 lead through the first two innings. McFall hit a two-out solo home run in the first inning and Dustin Drury from nearby Colorado City, Colo. hit a two-run homer in the second inning for his first home run as a Chap. Drury helped add to the lead in the sixth inning following a Brandon Rix RBI-double with a RBI-double of his own to cap a two-run sixth inning and LCU led 5-0. Their final run came in the top of the seventh inning off a double from Brandon Urquizo.
 
LCU produced four doubles in the game. Drury finished the game 2-for-3 with three runs driven in. McFall (2-for-3) Rix (2-for-4) and J.P. Rousseau (2-for-2) each had multi-hit games for LCU. Kyle Lazcano suffered the loss (1-2) allowing five runs off seven hits in five innings.
 
Teams combined for 26 hits in the second game. Lead off hits in the first and second inning allowed CSU-Pueblo to grab a run in the first inning and two in the second inning for a 3-0 lead. LCU tied the game at 3-3 in the third inning with Jaime Bustamante doubling in a run and McFall hitting a two-out two-run home run for his team-leading third home run of the season. LCU relief pitcher Brian Baker walked each of the two batters he faced, including one with the bases loaded, to allow the ThunderWolves to regain the lead (4-3).
 
CSU-Pueblo posted eight runs in the bottom of the fourth, with six of the runs unearned. Francis Griffin hit a three-run home run to highlight the inning for CSU-Pueblo. Gerardo Arzaga singled a run in the fifth inning to cut the LCU deficit to 12-4, but CSU-Pueblo responded with a three-run fifth inning for a 15-4 lead. LCU matched the sixth inning with a three-run seventh inning. Brett Wilhelm drove in a run in the inning and McFall followed driving in a pair of runs, but the deficit was too much to overcome.
 
LCU went through six pitchers in the game, with five pitching no more than 1.1 innings. Alberto Aveytia started and went 2.1 innings allowing four runs (two earned). He took the loss and fell to 1-2. Kyle Peeler went to 1-0 with his first start of the season. He went five innings and allowed four runs off 10 hits.
 
Bustamante and McFall each went 3-for-4, with McFall driving in three runs. Taylor Snyder led CSU-Pueblo going 3-for-4 with a pair of runs driven in. Griffin was 2-for-3 with five RBI.
 
McFall was 3-for-3 in two-out at-bats and collected four two-out-RBI on the day. He combined to go 5-for-7 (.714) on the day with five runs and four RBI. Three of McFall's hits were for extra bases.
 
LCU moves to 10-3 with the split, while CSU-Pueblo goes to 6-4. The two teams close out their four game series Sunday at 1 p.m. at Rawlings Field, with LCU aiming for a split of the series.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
0.55 – Guillaume Blanchette's WHIP on the season is 0.55.
2 – Francis Griffin's home run for CSU-Pueblo marks only the second home run allowed by the Chaps this season.
4 – Hunter McFall has all four of LCU's two-out runs-batted-in in the series and leads the team with 12 on the season.
12 – The two teams combined for 12 doubles in the doubleheader, split with each team producing six doubles. All six for LCU has come from six different individuals.