CLAREMORE, Okla. (April 22, 2016) – Lubbock Christian University's pitchers held Rogers State University to four hits in each game of their Heartland Conference doubleheader, but it was not enough to garner a sweep, as the No.7 Chaparrals used a 13-strikeout complete game from Guillaume Blanchette to defeat the Hillcats 5-1 before the Chaps fell 4-2 in the second game of the twinbill Friday at Diamond Sports Complex.
 
Of the 21 put-outs in the opening seven-inning affair, 13 were via strikeouts by Blanchette. The career high mark was the highest individual strikeout total by a Chaps hurler since Tyler Rogers struck out 14 against Oklahoma Christian on Feb. 24, 2012. Friday, Blanchette went the distance for an eighth time this season, going seven innings and allowing four hits and no earned runs. He faced four batters over the minimum with no walks issued.
 
LCU's scoring in the opener started in the third inning. Leadoff singles by Jaime Bustamante and Brandon Rix followed by an error led to a run scoring on a ground-out by J.P. Rousseau. They made it 2-0 in the fourth inning with Jesse Pintado singling in Brent Stewart, who led off the inning with a double. They garnered breathing room with a three-run sixth inning highlighted by a two-run home run by Brandon Urquizo for his first homer of the season. RSU scored their lone run in the bottom of the seventh inning with an error leading to the unearned run.
 
Rix led LCU at the plate going 3-for-5 in the opener. Pintado also had a multi-hit game for the Chaps going 2-for-3. Hunter McFall was hitless, ending the Chaps season-high 23-game hit streak. Blake Roley took the loss for RSU, falling to 5-4. He allowed five runs (one earned) off eight hits in six innings.
 
Ricky Contreras pitched the second game and struck out seven, holding the Hillcats to three runs (two earned) off three hits. The three hits did not come until after the fourth inning. Contreras had a no-hitter for 4.1 innings and the Hillcats first hit resulted in a two-run home run. Jason Marley hit his fourth home run of the season in the fifth inning to end the no-no thoughts and it provided RSU a 2-1 lead. RSU made it 3-1 in the seventh inning with a sacrifice fly. LCU had a golden opportunity to come back in the eighth inning, loading the bases with no outs and trailing 3-2 after Tony Reyes produced an RBI-single. Pitcher Rusty Huber was able to strikeout Brett Wilhelm and Pintado lined into a double play to get RSU out of the jam. A double by Chris Miguel in the bottom of the eighth inning provided RSU an insurance run.
 
McFall led LCU going 3-for-5 at the plate, with Reyes going 2-for-4. Contreras suffered the loss (6-1), marking the first career loss for the freshman pitcher. Michael Fusselman went seven innings and allowed two runs off six hits in the win, which improved his mark to 5-5 on the season. Huber collected his 10^th save.
 
LCU did hit the 30-win plateau with the opening game victory and is 30-12 overall and 15-5 in conference. The Chaps have hit the 30-win mark in now 12 of head coach Nathan Blackwood's 13 seasons at the helm. RSU ended a four-game losing streak with the win in the second game and have their record move to 23-18 overall and 9-11 in conference with the split. The two teams play the rubber match Saturday at 1 p.m.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
0-for-2 – The Chaps went 0-for-2 as a team Friday with the bases loaded. LCU is now 1-for-8 in road conference games when the bases are loaded.
4 – The opening game of the doubleheader marked just the fourth time this season Hunter McFall went without a hit. It was the first conference game of the season in which he went hitless.
9 – With Brandon Urquizo's first home run of the season, LCU has received home runs from nine different players this season.
16 – LCU was held to a total of 16 hits in the doubleheader and saw their season-matching high streak of consecutive games with at least 10 hits end at six.
21 – LCU's pitchers combined for 21 strikeouts in the doubleheader. RSU entered the game leading the conference in the fewest strikeouts at the plate (196).