STEPHENVILLE, Texas (March 17, 2017) – It has been 20 years in the making; Lubbock Christian University playing a baseball series with Tarleton State University. The No. 16 Chaparrals rallied for a 5-3 win in the opener before the two teams played a bizarre-filled extra inning contest capped by a two-run walk-off home run by Jake Hasbrouk in the 12^th inning to provide the Texans a 5-3 win to split the doubleheader Friday afternoon at Cecil Ballow Complex. The two teams will complete their non-conference series Saturday with a rubber match at 1 p.m.
 
The two teams had not played since Mar. 18, 1997 and had not played a series in Stephenville since the 1996 season. It may take nother 20 years to duplicate what emotions surrounded the 11^th inning of the nightcap.
 
With LCU leading 3-2 in the bottom of the 11^th inning, Tarleton had Jake Shelby (tying run) at third base, Blake Adams at first base (winning run) and Francisco Rodriguez at the plate with one out. Rodriguez hit a line drive towards the right-centerfield gap and flipped his bat into the air in celebration, as Adams was running nonstop in attempt to score the winning run from first base.  Chaps right fielder Brandon Urquizo was able to go to his right and fill the gap by making an incredible diving catch for the second out of the inning (retiring Rodriguez in disbelief). As Shelby is tagging up to score, Adams is at third base attempting to retreat back to first base to avoid being doubled-up. Urquizo threw the ball into the infield and they were able to get Adams retired for the third out of the inning. The Chaps proceeded to congratulate their teammates on a 3-2 win, but then the two-man umpiring crew sent the teams to their doubles and proclaimed the game to resume in the 12^th inning tied 3-3.  The scoring of the play is determined as a "timing play" and since Shelby touched home before Adams was out, the run counts and Adams is declared the third out, which completes the inning. Rodriguez received a sacrifice fly RBI.
 
In the 12^th inning, TSU would end up handing LCU their first extra-inning loss of the season (3-1) with Hasbrouk hammering his second home run of the game with a two-run shot over the right field fence. Despite the craziness of the extra-innings, the loss underlined missed opportunities by the Chaps.
 
LCU was 6-for-19 (.316) with runners on base, but was 2-for-14 (.143) with runners in scoring position. Combined with a 2-for-13 (.154) mark at the plate in two-out at-bats, it led to LCU stranding 14 runners on base.
 
The Chaps produced 11 hits in the game, with eight of the hits coming of 4-for-6 performances at the plate by Brandon Rix and Tony Reyes.  LCU led in the first inning with Ryan Rogers producing the game's first run with an RBI-single. The Chaps held the 1-0 lead until Hasbrouk's first home run of the game in the fifth inning. Rix regained the lead in the top of the eight inning with a two solo home run for his second homer of the season and his third of his LCU career. Chaps could not hold the lead in the bottom of the ninth inning, as Stacey Heinatz led off with a double, which led to the end of reliever Nathan Dockery, who had completed a 1-2-3 bottom of the eighth inning. Nick Hooper came in and allowed a RBI-single to Rodriguez before getting Austin Call to hit into a double play to force a 10th inning.
 
The calm before storm was highlighted by Chaps starting pitcher Daniel Crooks, who went 4.1 innings of no-hit ball until Hasbrouk's homer in the fifth inning. Crooks faced two batters over the minimum in seven innings and recorded eight strikeouts. He ended up without a decision. Evan Pontley also went seven innings in his start for TSU. He allowed one run off seven hits in seven innings. Hooper (1-2) was credited with the loss in relief, while Hunter Houston (1-0) claimed the win pitching the final 1.2 innings for TSU.
 
LCU also had a solid pitching performance in the opening game from Ricky Contreras. He went the distance for the complete game, allowing three runs off six hits while striking out a career-high 11 batters. He claimed a win for a third straight start (3-0).
 
The wind was howling to straightaway centerfield in the opener and TSU took advantage of it. Through the first three innings, Tarleton had one hit and it was a two-run home run by Joe Tauzin in the second inning for a 2-0 Texans lead. LCU would be kept off the scoreboard by starting pitcher Nathan Hickey until the fifth inning. With two-outs and the bases loaded, Rogers crushed a two-run double tie the game at 2-2. LCU continued their scoring in the sixth inning with a trio of runs. Following an Urquizo RBI-single, Josh Narvaiz produced a hit-and-run single to put runners on the corners. A failed pick-off attempt allowed Urquizo to score and Narvaiz scored on a sacrifice fly by Jaime Bustamante for a 5-2 advantage. Rodriguez added a run in the sixth inning with a home run, but Contreras retired the Texans in order in the bottom of the seventh to seal the victory.
 
Urquizo went 3-for-4 in the opener to lead LCU at the plate. Rodriguez led TSU with a 2-for-2 job at the plate.
 
The split puts the Chaps at 16-8 on the season and they are 7-2 on their current 10-game road trip. TSU moved to 16-7 with the split.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
 
.429 | Francisco Rodriguez led TSU going 3-for-7 at the plate in the doubleheader.
1-for-4 | LCU was 1-for-4 in getting the run across with a runner at third and less than two outs.
3 | Ryan Rogers led LCU with three RBI on the day. He produced three of LCU's seven in the doubleheader.
4-1 | The Texans had a 4-1 advantage Friday in home runs.
5 | Tony Reyes (5-for-8, .625) and Brandon Rix each co-led LCU on the afternoon with five hits.
8-1 | LCU batters produced eight walks, while their pitchers allowed one.
22-13 | LCU out-hit Tarleton in the doubleheader Friday.
23-8 | The Chaps had 23 at-bats with runners in scoring position, while TSU had eight, however LCU's advantage of hits with runners in scoring position was 4-3.
24 | The Chaps stranded 24 runners on the day, with 10 in the opener and 14 in the second game.
100% | Chaps starting pitchers were 14-for-14 on not allowing the lead-off Texans batter aboard. Both teams's starters in the second game were 7-for-7 keeping the opposition's lead-off batters off base.