LUBBOCK, Texas (February 22, 2018) – Logan Nethercot produced a bases loaded two-run single with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning to help No.10 Lubbock Christian University score the final four runs of a 6-4 victory over Metropolitan State University of Denver Thursday at Hays Field.
 
Lubbock Christian University took advantage of Metro State's miscues most of the game, as the Roadrunners committed four errors and walked five LCU batters.  Four of Metro State's walks came in the eighth inning. The first three walks, issued by reliever Aaron Gjersee, loaded the bases full of Chaps. The Roadrunners replaced Gjersee with Anthony Kaasch, who struck out the first batter he faced for the second out of the inning and bring up Nethercot. Hitless up to that at-bat, Nethercot extended his hit streak to five games with a liner to centerfield to score Brenon Rhodes and AJ Perez. The hit was LCU's only hit of their last 12 batters, but it helped complete a comeback of a 4-2 deficit and regained their lead. Nick Hooper came on the ninth for LCU and completed his third save with a pair of strikeouts in the inning.
 
The Chaps opened the game's scoring in the first inning with Nethercot reaching base on a walk and eventually scoring on an error by Roadrunners third baseman Trent Maloney off a chopper hit by Ryan Rogers. LCU made it 2-0 in the third inning, with Rogers hitting a single to centerfield to score Will Clark, who led off the inning with a double. Chandler Casey made his first start on the mound in a LCU uniform and had kept MSUD off the scoreboard until running into trouble in the fourth inning. He walked a pair of batters and then plunked Jimmy Holinger with the bases loaded. Casey got out of the jam forcing Sean Kennedy to line out to left field.  The Chaps starting pitcher was not able to get through the sixth inning, as Dylan Nelson followed a pair of singles with a three-run home run to left field.  The homer provided MSUD a 4-2 lead.
 
Self inflicted wounds by the Roadrunners to rally back in the bottom half of the sixth inning. The Roadrunners committed three errors in the inning, with an error by shortstop Holinger off a ground ball from Scotland Church and an error by Maloney off a ball hit by Braden Hayward each allowed a run to cross to tie the score at 4-4.
 
Hunter Hogoboom started on the hill for Metro State and went six innings allowing four runs (one earned) and allowed six hits. Casey went five innings and allowed four runs off eight hits. Neither starting pitcher received a decision. Ethan Crooks received the win in relief (1-0) for LCU with three scoreless innings with a trio of strikeouts. Gjersee (0-1) suffered the loss for Metro State.
 
Clark had LCU's only multi-hit performance, going 2-for-4 at the plate. Logan Stoole (2-for-5), Draven Adame (2-for-4) and Jake Kistaitis (2-for-4) co-led the Roadrunners at the plate with two hits apiece.
 
The meeting was the first ever meeting between the two programs. The win was LCU's (4-4) third consecutive win and they ended the Roadrunners (4-5) three-game win streak. The four-game series continues Friday with a doubleheader at Hays Field, beginning with a 2 p.m. first pitch.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
.142 | The two teams combined to go 3-for-21 (.142) at the plate with runners in scoring position (Metro State was 1-for-8 at the plate with runners in scoring position).
1 | Metro State had at least one hit in each inning of the game and they produced four in the sixth inning.
1 | Logan Nethercot's bases loaded single marked LCU's first bases-loaded hit this season.
2 | Chaps catcher Andrew Pratt threw out two runners attempting to steal base. It is the second consecutive game he has thrown out two runners attempting to steal base.
9 | All nine Metro State players in the starting line-up had at least one hit in the game.
12-7 | LCU was out-hit 12-7, marking LCU's first win this season (1-4) when being out-hit. LCU was 4-12 last season when being out-hit.