SAN ANGELO, Texas (May 18, 2017) – USA Baseball's Golden Spikes Award Midseason Watch List member Marshall Kasowski had another stellar night on the mound for No.18 West Texas A&M against No.11 Lubbock Christian University, with a 12-strikeout performance, but again it comes in a losing effort, as Ricky Contreras had a gem of his own with a complete-game effort to lead LCU to a 2-1 win over the Buffs in each team's opening game of the NCAA Division II South Central Region Tournament at Foster Field Thursday night. The win advances LCU into a meeting against No.3 Colorado Mesa Friday night in a 7 p.m. scheduled first pitch at Foster Field.
 
Kasowski, who had 16 strikeouts in a 3-2 loss to LCU on Feb. 21, recorded six of his 12 strikeouts in the first three innings to break the Lone Star Conference's single-season strikeout mark of 158 strikeouts set in 2004 by Texas A&M-Kingsville's Garrett Murdy. The 12 strikeouts places Kasowski with a NCAA Division II leading 165 on the season.
 
Contreras, the Heartland Conference Pitcher of the Year, was attempting to keep pace with Kasowski's strikeout mark in the game. The sophomore ace had five strikeouts in his first four innings, benefiting off first-pitch-strike to seven of the first nine batters he faced. With a runner caught stealing a double-play ball in the fourth inning, Contreras faced one batter over the minimum over the first four innings of the game.
 
LCU scored both of their runs on two-out RBI. In the bottom of the second inning, Brent Stewart hit a towering two-out solo home run high off the right centerfield scoreboard. The homer

was Stewart's fifth of the season. The 1-0 lead stayed until Chad Brown belted a solo home run in the fifth inning to tie the game at 1-1. Kasowski walked five LCU batters and it did not hurt him until the seventh inning. He walked Brandon Urquizo with two outs, and Urquizo was able to advance to second base on a wild pitch. A timely advancement, as Jaime Bustamante singled to centerfield with two outs to score Urquizo.
 
West Texas A&M was unable to get momentum following Brown's home run. Contreras gave up a leadoff single in the seventh inning, but then did not allow a hit to the next 10 Buffs he faced.
 
The string ended in the bottom of the ninth inning. Following an outstanding defensive play by Brandon Rix at third base for the first out, Luis Amaro produced a hit to get the tying run aboard base. Any thoughts of a Buffs walkoff were quickly erased, as Contreras forced John Baiada into a 1-6-3 double play for the Chaps third twin-killing of the game and for the win.
 
Contreras tossed 96 pitches in his seventh complete game of the season and his first nine-inning complete game outing of his career. He allowed a run off eight hits and struck out six batters. He improved to 10-2 on the season and is the Chaps first 10-game winner this season. The Chaps are the only pitching staff in the nation with three pitchers with at least nine wins this season.
 
Kasowski fell to 9-5 on the season. He went seven innings, throwing 130 pitches, and allowed two runs off five hits and walked five batters. The Buffs were led at the plate by Nick Canas, who went 2-for-4 in the loss.
 
Ryan Rogers went 2-for-3 and was LCU's only multi-hit performer at the plate. LCU improved to 38-14 on the season and moved to 3-0 on the season against West Texas A&M. All three LCU wins in the series have been by one run and it is the second consecutive 2-1 win by the Chaps in the series.
 
LCU faces Colorado Mesa, who advanced with a win following an 11-2 win over St. Edward's. West Texas A&M (35-15) will face Angelo State and the game serves as an elimination game for the Buffs.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
.083 | The teams combined for a .083 (1-for-12) average with runners in scoring position, with WT going 0-for-3 in the at-bats.
1 | Brandon Rix missed all of the 2016 South Central Region Tournament with an injury. In his first NCAA postseason at-bat Thursday, he provided LCU their first hit of the game with a single to centerfield.
3-2 | LCU improved to 3-2 all-time in NCAA postseason play and 2-0 in all-time NCAA postseason play verses West Texas A&M.
5 | The two teams combined for five infield singles, with LCU hitting three infield singles of their seven hits.
7-1 | The Chaps are now 7-1 this season when scoring two runs or less in a game.
8-6 | LCU improved to 8-6 this season in one-run games.
21-0 | The game marks the 21^st game in which an LCU opponent has been held to two runs or less this season. LCU is 21-0 in those contests.