ROGERS STATE (31-18, 11-12) at No.9 LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (35-12, 18-5)
Saturday, May 6, 2017 – 2 p.m.
Hays Field (Lubbock, Texas)
Radio: KJTV am950/100.7fm (possible join-in-progress)
All-Time Series: LCU leads 24-9
Tweet #LCUvsRSU | Tweet #HeartlandBASE
 
With a pair of wins Friday, No.9 Lubbock Christian University clinched at least a share of the Heartland Conference regular season title. Saturday, LCU can have the outright title with a win over Rogers State University or a loss by Arkansas Fort Smith. The outright title would give LCU the No.1-seed at the Heartland Conference Tournament. A loss and a UAFS win would give UAFS the top seed and LCU would be the No.2-seed. Saturday is also Senior Day, as 12 LCU seniors will be recognized prior to the game, which is the final regular season game scheduled for the 2017 season.
 
PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS
  
LCU – Russell Reber (8-1, 3.75 ERA)
Saturday marks Reber's 14^th start of the season. He is coming off a 7.2-inning outing Friday at UAFS in which he allowed three runs off eight hits and did not factor into the decision. Reber is 1-0 historically against RSU, as last season (Apr. 23, 2016) he allowed two runs off six hits in seven innings for the win.
 
RSU – TBA (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
The Hillcats did not declare a starting pitcher, as the game's importance was unknown. Their two losses Friday eliminated them from postseason contentions.
            
RANKINGS (as of 5/3/17)
LCU: No. 9 (Perfect Game), No.19 (NCBWA), No.19 (Collegiate Baseball News), No. 20 (d2baseballnews.com)
RSU: N/A
 
IN THE REGION
The NCAA released their second regional rankings of the season and LCU, who is playing in their second season postseason eligible, remained at No.3 in the South Central Region Poll. The top six teams in the final region poll will advance to the South Central Region Tournament as part of the NCAA Championships, with hosting privileges for the No.1 ranked team.
 
1. Angelo St.
2. Colorado Mesa       
3. Lubbock Christian  
4. West Tex. A&M      
5. Tex. A&M-Kingsville           
6. Tarleton St. 
7. Ark.-Fort Smith       
    St. Edward's          
 
LOOKING BACK
No.9 Lubbock Christian University defeated Rogers State University 5-3 and 13-2 Friday afternoon at Hays Field to claim at least a share of their first Heartland Conference regular season title.
 
STREAKS
Jaime Bustamante has the team's active leading hit streak at six games (his season high is nine). The six-game hit streak has Bustamante reaching base safely in six consecutive games, which is also the team's active lead.
  
INSIDE THE SERIES
.529 | LCU was 9-for-17 (.529) Friday in two-out at-bats. Ryan Rogers was 2-for-2 in two-out at bats.
.833 | Chase Simmons led LCU Friday with a 5-for-6 (.833) performance at the plate with four RBI.
6 | LCU was 6-for-7 Friday in the second game in scoring the runner from third base with less than two outs. Brandon Rix was 3-for-3 in completing the task.
13 | In the second game Friday, 13 of LCU's 19 hits came with runners on base. LCU was .465 Friday when batting with runners on base.
14 | In his last 14 at-bats at Hays Field, Brent Stewart is 11-for-14 (.786) at the plate. He went 4-for-5 on the afternoon Friday.
18 | RSU struck out 18 times at the plate Friday. They entered the series averaging 5.6 strikeouts at the plate per game.
 
HISTORY WITH RSU
LCU leads the all-time series with a 24-9 mark. The Chaps have won 12 of the last 15 prior regular season meetings. In the conference series (Heartland and Sooner Athletic Conference), the home team has only won the series four times (out of 11 series). Friday, LCU won both games to give the home team the series for the first time since 2013.