No.20 ANGELO STATE (6-1)
at No.7 LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (1-3)
Saturday, Feb. 17, 2018 – 3 p.m.
Hays Field (Lubbock, Texas)
Radio: Online only
All-Time Series: ASU leads 14-8
Tweet #LCUvsASU
 
In another week of schedule adjustments due to weather, Lubbock Christian University opens a three-game series against Angelo State University Saturday at Hays Field. The series features a pair of teams that have qualified for the South Central Region Tournament the past two seasons. Last season, Angelo State hosted the tournament and eliminated the Chaps from the tournament with a 6-1 win.
 
PROJECTED STARTING PITCHERS
 
LCU – Ryan Johnson (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
Johnson will make his second start of the season for the Chaparrals. The Canadian southpaw went without a decision in LCU's 1-0 loss in 10 innings to Regis last Saturday. He went eight scoreless innings and allowed two hits, striking out seven batters. The start as his LCU debut.
 
ASU – Tyler Lesley (1-1, 4.26 ERA)
The right-hander from San Antonio, Texas is scheduled for his third start of the season and is 1-1 through two starts. He held Arkansas Tech to two runs off four hits in seven innings in his season debut (win) and followed suffering a loss to Southwestern Oklahoma State, as he allowed five runs (four earned) off six hitsin 5.2 innings. He is a transfer of Incarnate Word, where he went 4-3 on the mound.
   
RANKINGS (Preseason)
LCU: No.7 (Perfect Game), No.16 (NCBWA), No.32 (Collegiate Baseball News)
ASU: No.20 (NCBWA), No.24 (Prefect Game), No.30 (Collegiate Baseball News)
 
STARTING IT OFF WITH HONORS
The Heartland Conference recognized LCU pitcher Callan Johnson with Pitcher of the Week honors for last week's action. Making his LCU debut Sunday against Regis, Johnson faced two batters over the minimum in his seven innings of work and did not allow a hit through the first 3.1 innings pitched until an infield single was allowed in the fourth inning. Following the hit, Regis went another 10 batters without a hit until a single was allowed in the seventh inning with two outs. Johnson struck out seven batters in the seven innings on the mound and did not walk a batter in the Chaps 3-0 win over Regis. The award was Johnson's first weekly honor.      
 
WHO'S THE NEW GUY
LCU pitchers have combined for a 2.18 ERA and Chap pitchers making their LCU debut have combined to go 22.1 innings on the season without allowing an earned run. LCU has had six different pitchers make their LCU debut so far this season, making up the statistic. Starting pitchers Ryan Johnson and Callan Johnson have combined for 15.0 innings with 14 strikeouts and no runs allowed off four hits.
 
LETS TALK MORE PITCHING
LCU has not allowed an earned run in the last 22 innings and has allowed one unearned run over the last 21 innings entering Saturday's play.
 
PITCHING TALK GOING ON STRIKE
The Chaps pitchers combined for 10 strikeouts Sunday, marking the second consecutive game in which they have struck out at least 10 batters. They have struck out a combined 21 batters over the prior two games. They had at least 10 strikeouts in consecutive games twice last season, with the last occurring on Mar. 17, 2017 at Tarleton State. If LCU can make it a third consecutive game with at least 10 strikeouts, it would mark the first time it has happened since Feb.5 & 10, 2012.
  
FIVE THINGS ABOUT ASU
- The Rams are coming off a 43-15 season in 2017. They went 12-5 on the road and 26-9 in non-conference play. ASU was seeking a return trip to the NCAA Div. II World Series last season, but fell to Colorado Mesa in the South Central Region Tournament, which ASU hosted.
- ASU finished the 2017 season in first place of the Lone Star Conference with an 17-6 conference record. They are preseason picked to win the LSC.
- ASU's Jacob Boston was selected as the LSC Preseason Player of the Year, while TSU's Nathan Hickey claimed LSC Preseason Pitcher of the Year honors. Boston, a senior third/first baseman from Chandler, Arizona, started in 56 games last season, hitting .358 with five doubles, three triples and leading ASU in home runs (11), RBI (54) and slugging percentage (.594).  After seeing time at third base, first base and left field, Boston received numerous postseason awards including LSC Player of the Year and third-team D2CCA All-American honors.
- The Rams are 6-1 this season, with their lone loss coming to Southwestern Oklahoma State.  They are 1-0 against Heartland Conference teams, as they defeated Oklahoma Christian 11-8 on Feb.4.  LCU will mark ASU's first Texas based opponent (the three games against LCU will mark ASU's only games, of their first 18 games, against Texas based teams).
- Nicholas Novak leads ASU hitting .379 with 11 hits (one homer and two doubles) in 29 at-bats. The Rams have 18 stolen bases this season and have allowed one.
 
HISTORY WITH ASU
Angelo State leads the all-time series with a 14-8 record head-to-head. LCU is 5-3 against ASU at Hays Field. LCU won two-of-three games in a three-game series at Hays Field in 2016, which has been the last time LCU has hosted ASU in Lubbock. The Chaps have lost six straight games to ASU, including a 6-1 loss on May 21, 2017 at the South Central Region Tournament in San Angelo, Texas.