OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (April 28, 2016) – Oklahoma Christian University scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, with a two-out walk-off win in the opening game of their Heartland Conference doubleheader, but No.7 Lubbock Christian University responded from the 6-5 defeat with a run-ruled shortened 13-3 win in the second game of Thursday's twinbill at a heated Dobson Field.
 
LCU took a 5-4 lead in the top half of ninth inning of the opener with a two-out single to left field by Tony Reyes and went into the bottom of the seventh inning (seven-inning game) with Albert Aveytia on the mound for the save. Back-to-back errors to lead off the inning by the Chaps set up runners on the corners with no outs. Aveytia struck out Robert Rosser for the first out and surrendered a game-tying sacrifice fly by Jake Baxter for the second out. Jones was able to score all the way from first base on a two-out double deep to left-centerfield hit by Kyle Lacy, which sent the Eagles pouring out onto the field in jubilation.
 
It was a sour feeling for the Chaps, who were unable to hold onto a 4-3 lead and a 5-4 lead in the game. The game was overshadowed by a bench clearing incident in the bottom of the second inning on the ensuing at-bat following Jared Sterling's two-run double that gave OC a 2-0 lead. Austin Orth hit into a 1-5-2 fielder's choice, which resulted in Sterling being tagged out at home. At the time LCU catcher JP Rousseau applied the tag, Sterling bowled into Rousseau and Rousseau took exception and retaliated. Rousseau ended up being ejected along with OC starting shortstop Alex Polston, who led a charge of Eagles out of the dugout with physical aggression before the coaches did a solid job of separating the teams and restoring order. No further incidents occured nor are any expected as the two teams competed with class the rest of the way.
 
LCU responded from the conflict with a run in the top of the third inning off a double from Brandon Urquizo. The Chaps eventually took a 4-3 lead with a three-run fourth inning. Reyes scored Hunter McFall with a single and Brent Stewart followed with his team-leading sixth home run of the season. Sterling hit his second RBI-double in the sixth inning to tie the game at 4-4 before LCU regained the lead in the ninth inning.
 
The Chaps committed four errors in the game and only two of OC's six runs were earned. LCU starting pitcher Guillaume Blanchette missed out on improving his win record on the season and went six innings without a decision. He allowed four runs (two earned) off five hits. The loss went to Aveytia (2-7). The win was credited to Jake Moore (3-1), who came in for the final 0.2 innings of relief work in the ninth inning. Brennan Walker started for OC and allowed four runs off six hits in 4.2 innings. Sterling was 2-for-2 with three RBI in the win for OC. McFall was 2-for-3 for LCU, who also had 2-for-4 performances at the plate from Reyes and Stewart (each had two RBI).
 
The Chaps came out on a mission in the second game and scored the game's first five runs, beginning with a three-run first inning. Stewart drove in a pair off a double and Brett Wilhelm was able to plate Stewart by beating out a throw for an infield single and a RBI. McFall led off the scoring in the two-run second inning with a RBI-single and Stewart followed with a liner too hot for shortstop Chase Kuwitzky to handle, which scored Brandon Rix. OC cut the LCU lead to 5-3 with a three-run third inning highlighted by back-to-back doubles from Jones and Rosser.
 
LCU went on to score the next eight runs unanswered. Jaime Bustamante started it off in the fifth inning with a little league home run. He hit a chopper up the middle to score Urquizo and went all the way around to score himself on a three-base error as Jones (centerfielder) overran the ball while trying to run and scoop it up. That put LCU up 7-3. LCU scored two runs in the seventh inning off wild pitches and then exploded for a four-run eighth inning. Jared Price came in to relieve Eagles starting pitcher Dylan Fazekas to start the eighth inning, but was unable to record an out as LCU's first five batters reached base safely. Reyes, Wilhelm and Jesse Pintado (two) were each able to garner runs-batted-in during the scoring stanza.
 
What was in the shadow of LCU's 13 runs off 17 hits was the pitching performance of Chaps starting pitcher Brent Bezio, who completed his first complete game of the season. Bezio went the final 5.2 innings of his eight innings pitched allowing two hits and he only faced one batter over the minimum over the stretch. Overall, he allowed one earned run in eight innings off six hits. OC's bottom four batters in the batting order were a combined 0-for-11 at the plate. Bezio improved to 5-1 with the win. Fazekas (3-4) suffered the loss allowing seven runs off 12 hits in six innings of work.
 
Reyes, Pintado and Urquizo each went 3-for-5 for the Chaps. Pintado, Stewart and Wilhelm co-led LCU with a pair of runs-batted-in. Baxter led OC with a 2-for-3 outing at the plate.
 
LCU moved to 34-14 overall and 17-6 in the Heartland Conference with the split. OC went to 26-18 overall and 15-8 in conference. The two teams will attempt to claim the series Friday with a 1 p.m. rubber match at Dobson Field.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
2 – LCU has not lost more than two consecutive games this season. The game-two win ended a two-game losing skid.
4 – Chaps starting pitcher Guillaume Blanchette walked four batters. He had only walked 10 on the season prior to Thursday's start.
5 – The number of LCU batters that went .500 or better at the plate Thursday in the combined doubleheader, led by Hunter McFall and Jesse Pintado, who were each 4-for-7 (.571).
5 – Tony Reyes led LCU with five hits in the combined doubleheader.
6 – Six of OC's nine runs in the twinbill were unearned.
6 – Each team hit six doubles in the doubleheader. Six doubles accounted for half of OC's 12 hits on the day.
9 – Nine of LCU's 14 losses on the season have been by two runs or less (margin of defeat).
26-2 – LCU's game-one loss marked only the second time this season LCU had lost a game when leading after the fifth inning. They are currently 26-2 when leading after the fifth inning.
30 – Number of at-bats LCU had with runners in scoring position (OC had 11).