ST. MARY'S (13-10, 1-2) NO.10 LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (16-5, 2-1)
Friday, March 18 -
Game 1: 3:00 p.m. Game 2: 5:00 p.m.
Hays Field (Lubbock, Texas)
Radio: Online Only
All-Time Series: StMU leads 10-7


PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS

GAME 1
LCU - Guillaume Blanchette (5-0, 0.63 ERA)
StMU - Cole Hybner (3-2, 5.54 ERA)

GAME 2
LCU - Russell Reber (2-0, 4.37 ERA)
StMU - Ty Miles (2-1, 3.22 ERA)

RANKINGS
LCU: No. 10 (Collegiate Baseball Newspaper), No.13 (NCBWA), No.28 (D2Baseball News).

StMU: Unranked

BRINGING HEART HOME
Friday, LCU hosts St. Mary's for a doubleheader to open a Heartland Conference three-game series. The series is LCU's first Heartland Conference series at home of the season. LCU opened Heartland Conference play last week in Wichita, Kan. winning two of three against Newman. StMU hosted Rogers State and won the third game of the series to avoid a sweep at home.

ABOVE AVERAGE
LCU leads the Heartland Conference and ranks 19th nationally batting .336 on the season. The Chaps have produced at least 10 hits in 15 of 21 games played this season and averaging 15.5 hits over the prior two games. Three of the top eight in batting in the Heartland Conference are members of the Chaps (Brandon Rix .442 ranks third, Hunter McFall .407 ranks seventh and Jaime Bustamante .403 ranks eighth).

THE HUNTER
Hunter McFall leads the Heartland Conference and ranks 16th nationally in runs-batted-in with 30. The senior infielder averages 1.4 RBI per game, ranking 21st nationally in the category. McFall has nine consecutive multi-RBI games this season (the next closest is five).

HOME RUNS
The Chaparrals are 11-1 at home this season and have out-scored their opponents 113-53 this season at home. LCU is hitting .366 at home this season and have a 43-14 advantage in extra-base hits at home. Brandon Rix is hitting .523 at home this season. Hunter McFall has 21 of his 30 RBI at home. LCU's opponents have a 9.26 ERA at Hays Field this season. Brent Stewart and Brandon Rix have a 10-game hitting streak at home and are each a a hit away from matching Brandon Urquizo's season high streak. Urquizo had an 11-game home hit streak end Tuesday.

RICKY BE RICKY
Ricky Contreras was recognized for his week on the mound, as the Heartland Conference announced the Lubbock Christian University pitcher as this week's conference Pitcher of the Week.

Contreras made two relief appearances combining for 11.2 innings and did not allow an earned run in the span. He struck out 14 batters and allowed three hits in the span, holding the opposition to a .077 average against him. In LCU's 10-6 win in 13 innings Saturday at Newman, the freshman pitched 7.2 scoreless innings in relief. He allowed two hits over the span and struck out 10 batters. Contreras retired the last 14 batters faced. He claimed the win and improved to 3-0 on the season.

He is the second LCU pitcher honored this season and the third overall Chap recognized for a weekly honor. Guillaume Blanchette (Pitcher of the Week) and Brett Wilhelm (Hitter of the Week) have each claimed conference and national honors this season.

Contreras ranks third in the Heartland Conference in ERA (1.16) and in games finished (six), tied for fourth in relief appearances (10) and fifth in opponents batting average (.171).

BLANCHETTE TO LEAD THINGS OFF
In the opening game of Friday's doubleheader, LCU will start Guillaume Blanchette on the mound. He is 5-0 on the season (co-leads the nation) with a 0.63 ERA (12th nationally) and four complete games (second nationally with four complete games). Opponents are batting .127 against him this season. Blanchette also ranks fifth nationally in WHIP (0.51) and seventh in hits allowed per nine innings (3.77). He has allowed one run in his last combined five starts. Blanchette is 0-1 all-time against St.Mary's. He suffered the loss last season (Mar. 13 at StMU) allowing two earned runs in six innings.

REMIX
LCU is going with Russell Reber on the mound in the second game. Reber is 2-0 this season with a 4.37 ERA. He has allowed four earned runs over his last 16 innings pitched. He pitched last Friday at Newman and allowed two earned runs in 5.1 innings of a 4-3 loss (no decision).

SNAKE BITES
The Rattlers are expected to start Cole Hybner in the opener and Ty Miles in the second game on the mound. Hybner (3-2, 5.54 ERA) suffered a loss in a 6-4 defeat to Rogers State in which he went five innings and allowed five runs off eight hits. He only lasted 2.0 innings in his only road appearance of the season (Feb. 27 at Texas A&M - Kingsville), allowing six runs (three earned) off four hits. Miles (2-2, 3.34 ERA) is coming off a win over Rogers State, as he allowed three runs off four hits in six innings of a 12-6 victory. He is 2-0 in his last four combined appearances.

FIVE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT StMU
- The Rattlers are 13-10 on the season, 1-2 in conference and 1-2 on the road (lost their last two on the road).
- They are coming of a three-game series against Rogers State in which they went 1-2.
- St. Mary's is hitting .324 as a team, with Keith Funk hitting .440 on the season. He was 4-for-7 with five runs-batted-in against RSU.
- StMU was preseason picked second in the Heartland Conference Preseason Poll after going 22-5 last season in conference play.
- The Rattlers lead the nation in double plays with 30 turned on the season (1.3 per game).

ALL-TIME SERIES
LCU and St. Mary's have met 17 prior times dating back to 1978 and the all-time series is led by StMU 10-7. The Chaps won two of three games in 2014 at Hays Field, but were swept by the Rattlers last season in San Antonio. Prior to 2014, the two teams had not met since Feb. 5, 2000. LCU is 4-3 all-time against StMU at Hays Field.