GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (May 21, 2016) – Lubbock Christian University ran into a pair of tough starting pitchers Saturday at Suplizio Field and it led to the end of the stay at the NCAA Division II South Central Region Tournament and their first season as a postseason eligible NCAA Division II member. Kenton Schroter went the distance to lead Angelo State to a 6-2 win over Lubbock Christian, and then LCU fell into an elimination contest, which they lost 10-5 to No.3 St. Edward's University, who received a complete game effort from Stuart Springer.
 
Schroter (5-0) went nine innings and allowed one earned run off eight hits and struck out four batters. He threw 94 pitches and did not walk a batter. It marked his 10^th consecutive appearance without allowing more than one earned run. Angelo State led throughout, scoring a run in the first inning with Jay Gonzales taking advantage of a pair of walks with a RBI-single for a 1-0 lead. He hit a two-run home run in the third inning to build the lead to 3-0. ASU led 4-0 before LCU got their first run across. A pair of errors by the Rams led to a run for LCU in the eighth inning, but the Rams responded with a lead-off double from Christian Abilla in the bottom half of the inning to lead to a two-run inning and a 6-1 lead. Brandon Urquizo produced LCU's final run with a sacrifice fly in the ninth inning.
 
Ricky Contreras also went the distance for LCU. The freshman started on the hill and allowed six runs (four earned) and faced 38 batters. He struck out six batters. Contreras fell to 7-2 with the loss.
 
Gonzales finished the game 2-for-3 with three RBI to help the Rams (38-20) move into the region title game Sunday. Hunter McFall and JP Rousseau each went 2-for-4 for LCU.
 
In the Chaps elimination game, Springer went nine innings and allowed one earned run (four unearned) off seven hits and struck out nine Chaps. He walked one batter.
 
Like LCU's opening game Saturday, St. Edward's jumped out early. A two-out double by Romeo Cortina scored their opening run in the first inning, and they made it 2-0 in the second inning with a sacrifice fly. LCU tied at the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the second inning with a home run from Brett Wilhelm for his team-leading seventh of the season. 
 
SEU (46-11) had 15 hits in the game and eight were for extra bases. JD Arrowood had a pair of solo home runs in the game and was helpful in the Hilltoppers scoring five straight runs. Dylan Watts, Gable Whitacre and Nick Lerick combined for back-to-back-to-back doubles in a three-run sixth inning for a 7-2 lead. LCU was held to two hits over the first five innings and finally was able to get something going offensively in the late innings, but mostly benefiting off four Hilltoppers errors. Brendan McCarthy produced an RBI-single in the sixth inning and double by Jamie Bustamante led to a two-run seventh inning to cut their deficit to 9-5.
 
Arrowood went 3-for-5 with two RBI and three runs scored for SEU. The Hilltoppers also received a three-hit (3-for-4) performance from Lerick. Bustamante was 2-for-5 in the loss for the Chaps.
 
Christian Buatte (1-1) made his third start on the mound of the season. He went four innings and surrendered three runs off six hits. All-Region pitcher Guillaume Blanchette came in and pitched the final 2.1 innings for LCU and allowed one hit. Springer claimed the win for SEU and improved to 10-1. He threw 134 pitches.
 
LCU closes their season 37-19 and with a 2-2 record in NCAA postseason play. The game closed out the collegiate careers of 12 LCU seniors, as Gerardo Arzaga, Albert Aveytia, Brian Baker, Blanchette, Brennan Johnson, Mathew Lusk, McCarthy, McFall, Luke McKay, Jesse Pintado, Glen Warrick and Wilhelm each wore an LCU uniform for a final time.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
37 – LCU produced 37 wins this season. Fourteen (14) more wins than 2015, which is the fourth biggest win improvement from the prior season in program history (third best under head coach Nathan Blackwood).
19 – The Chaps 19 losses marks the tenth time under head coach Nathan Blackwood in which LCU was able to keep their loss total under 20 losses.
550 – In Grand Junction, LCU opened the tournament with a win over top-seeded Colorado Mesa, which marked Nathan Blackwood's 550^th win as head coach of the Chaps.
2 – LCU never had larger than a two-game losing skid this season.
17 – All-Region pitcher Guillaume Blanchette closed out his career with 17 wins (17-8), going 12-2 in his senior campaign. He had a 1.73 ERA this season for a 2.95 ERA in his LCU career.
218 – Hunter McFall, another All-Region recipient for the Chaps, completes his LCU career with 218 hits. He had 92 during the season and hit .421 on the season to give him a .391 career batting average with the Chaps. He also notched 129 career RBI.
.471 – LCU's JP Rousseau went 8-for-17 (.471) at the tournament and led LCU in Colorado at the plate.
.330 – LCU led the conference and was in the top-25 nationally in batting average much of the season. They finished with a .330 batting average this season.
25-5 – The Chaps went 25-5 at home this season.
6-4 – Lubbock Christian went 6-4 this season against ranked opponents.