GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas (February 4, 2017) - Brandon Rix and Tony Reyes each had three hits and Lubbock Christian University came back from an early 4-0 deficit to defeat Newman University 7-5 in a non-conference game at the DII AirHogs Classic Saturday afternoon.
 
Newman had a quick start in the game, jumping out to a 4-0 lead in the second inning. The Jets had a trio of hits in the first inning, with a Joe Cannady double in the mix for a 3-0 lead. A trio of walks in the second inning led to a sacrifice fly and to the 4-0 lead.
 
Chaps starting pitcher Daniel Crooks, making his Chap debut and first pitching appearance in two seasons, settled down the rest of the way.  He allowed one run off one hit over his remaining four innings pitched.
 
As Crooks settled down, the Chaps bats started to wake up and they eventually scored seven straight runs. Their first run came in the bottom of the second inning with a James Hardberger two-out single.
 
The runs came in pairs the rest of the way for LCU. The two-run third inning featured a pair of sacrifice flies, as Rix doubled to set up a Logan Nethercot sacrifice fly and Chase Simmons followed with another to cut the LCU deficit to 4-3. LCU had a two-out two-run single by Caleb Koedyker in the fifth inning to give LCU the lead and Tony Reyes duplicated the task in the sixth inning to build the Chaps lead to 7-4. Newman's final run came on an unearned run in the seventh inning.
 
Reyes went 3-for-4 and Rix was 3-for-5 for the Chaps, who finished with 10 hits in the game. Jacob Hamerle was Newman's only player with a multi-hit performance, as he was 2-for-2 at the plate.
 
Crooks claimed the win (1-0) going six innings and allowing four runs off four hits while striking out seven batters. Nicklaus Hooper ended the game for LCU on the mound for his second save of the season. Bradley Altdoerffer (0-1) suffered the loss for the Jets (1-3). He allowed five runs (three earned) off seven hits in 4.2 innings.
 
LCU, now 3-0 on the season, completes their play in Grand Prairie Sunday at 4 p.m. facing Southern Arkansas University.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
2 – Newman was 2-for-14 with runners on bas and 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position.
2-for-2 – Tony Reyes was 2-for-2 with runners in scoring position.
3 – Number of appearances and innings pitched for Reagan Lucia, who pitched a scoreless inning of relief. He has pitched a scoreless inning in each game to start the season.
5 – LCU had five two-out runs-batted-in produced in the game.