No.20 ANGELO STATE (7-1)
at No.7 LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (1-4)
Sunday, Feb. 18, 2018 – 3 p.m.
Hays Field (Lubbock, Texas)
Radio: 100.7 FM The Score
All-Time Series: ASU leads 15-8
Tweet #LCUvsASU
 
No.7 Lubbock Christian University will see to even their three-game series against No.20 Angelo State University Sunday, as the two teams meet for a 3 p.m. first-pitch at Hays Field.  LCU opened their second consecutive series with a slow start, falling 4-1 Saturday at Hays Field. The Chaps 1-4 start matches their worst start since 2007, but the Chaps were able to rebound in 2007, qualifying for NAIA postseason play at the NAIA Regional VI Tournament.
 
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)
 
SCHEDULED STARTING PITCHER
 
LCU – Ricky Contreras (0-1, 1.80 ERA)
The reigning Heartland Conference Pitcher of the Year and Preseason All-American takes the hill looking for his first win of the season. Contreras went five innings in his season debut against Regis and allowed one run off four hits. On Feb. 17, 2017, Contreras faced ASU and allowed four runs off nine hits in 4.1 innings (no decision in a 7-6 loss). The outing was one of two starts in which he went less than five innings on the season.       
 
ASU – Carson Childers (1-0, 2.25 ERA)
In two prior starts, the redshirt freshman right-handed pitcher has held opponents to an .088 batting average with three hits allowed over 12 innings pitched. He has walked and struckout seven batters over the same span. Childers did not allow more than two hits in either of his prior two starts. He went 6.2 innings against Southwestern Oklahoma State and allowed two runs off two hits and struck out six batters.
  
LOOKING BACK
ASU's Tyler Lesley held LCU to an unearned run off four hits in eight innings and the Rams opened a three-game series with a 4-1 win over the Chaparrals Saturday at Hays Field. Lesley (2-1), a transfer from Incarnate Word, was able to out duel LCU's Ryan Johnson, who went seven innings and allowed three runs (two earned) off five hits. Johnson struck out eight batters in his start and suffered his first loss of the season (0-1). Will Clark led LCU at the plate going 2-for-3. Jonathan Soberanes (2-for-2) and Brad Mathiowetz (2-for-4) each had multi-hit performances for ASU.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES WITH ASU
0 | LCU is 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and 1-for-12 with runners on base.
2 | Will Clark had two stolen bases Saturday. The task of two stolen bases was accomplished four times by a member of the Chaps ast season.
3-for-3 | ASU's Jonathan Soberanes was 3-for-3 in reaching base in a lead-off at-bat. The younger brother of former Chaps Christian Soberanes went 2-for-2 Saturday.
1-for-19 | The two teams are a combined 1-for-19 (LCU is 0-for-9) at the plate in two-out at-bats.
15-8 over LCU. Chaps are 5-4 all-time at Hays Field against ASU.
10 – LCU pitchers Ryan Johnson and Shandon Herrera combined for 10 strikeouts Saturday, extended a streak of three consecutive games in which they have struck out at least 10 batters (Feb.5 & 10, 2012 marked the last time they have completed the task).
 
HISTORY WITH ASU
Angelo State leads the all-time series with a 15-8 record head-to-head. LCU is 5-4 against ASU at Hays Field. LCU won two-of-three games in a three-game series at Hays Field in 2016, which was the last time LCU hosted ASU in Lubbock. The Chaps have lost seven straight games to ASU, including a 6-1 loss on May 21, 2017 at the South Central Region Tournament in San Angelo, Texas.