METROPOLITAN STATE OF DENVER (4-5)
at No.10 LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (4-4)
Friday, Feb. 23, 2018 – 2 p.m. / 4 p.m. (DH)
Hays Field (Lubbock, Texas)
Radio: 100.7 FM The Score
All-Time Series: LCU leads 1-0
Tweet #LCUvsMSUD
 
No.10 Lubbock Christian University takes a three-game win streak in a Friday doubleheader, hosting Metro State to continue with their four-game series at Hays Field. The Chaps three-game win streak is a season high and it has LCU at .500 (4-4) for the first time this season. The contest will mark the ninth and tenth games of an eventual 11-game homestand. Metro State seeks to bounce back after having their three-game win streak come to a close Thursday.
 
RANKINGS 
LCU: No.10 (Perfect Game), No.32 (Collegiate Baseball News)
MSUD: N/A
 
SCHEDULED STARTING PITCHER
 
Game 1
 
LCU – Ryan Johnson (0-1, 1.20 ERA)
Johnson is scheduled to make his third appearance and start this season. He is 0-1 and has combined for a 1.20 ERA this season, holding opponents to  .140 batting average. He suffered a loss in his last start (Feb. 17), allowing three runs (two earned) off five hits in seven innings against Angelo State. He has not received run support, as the Chaps have scored one run in the combined two games he has pitched.       
 
MSUD – Javi Vega (2-0, 5.63 ERA)
The Second Team All-RMAC selection is 2-0 this season in three starts. On Feb. 16, he went seven innings against Sioux Falls and allowed one run on seven hits to collect the win. The right-hander averages 5.1 innings a start this season.
 
Game 2
 
LCU – Daniel Crooks (0-1, 7.50 ERA)
Crooks is set to make his second start and third appearance of the season. He appeared in relief Monday against Angelo State and went two innings allowing two runs off two hits. Crooks, last season's team strikeout leader, has been held to two strikeouts this season.        
 
MSUD – Cade Crader (1-1, 3.38 ERA)
Crader will make his third start of the season. The 6-3 right-handed pitcher is 1-1 this season and has held opponents to a .161 batting average. He has nine strikeouts in eight innings pitched. He went five innings on Feb. 17 against Sioux Falls and allowed one run on three hits to register the win.
 
LOOKING BACK
Thursday, Logan Nethercot produced a bases loaded two-run single with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning to help LCU score the final four runs of a 6-4 victory over Metro State.
 
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.

STREAKS
Nethercot has a five-game hit streak heading into Friday's doubleheader. Nethercot, who leads LCU with three multi-hit games, is hitting .421 (8-for-19) during the streak. He is also the only Chaps player that has reached base safely in all eight games this season.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES WITH METRO STATE
.142 | The two teams are a combined 3-for-21 (.142) at the plate with runners in scoring position in the series (Metro State is 1-for-8 at the plate with runners in scoring position).
1 | Metro State has at least one hit in each inning of the series.
2 | Chaps catcher Andrew Pratt threw out two runners attempting to steal base Thursday. He has thrown out a pair of runners in each of the prior two games.
2 | Will Clark leads LCU with two hits in the series after going 2-for-4 Thursday. He has nine hits on the season, moving into the team lead in that category.
4 | Metro State committed four errors Thursday. LCU opponents had combined to a low of four errors in the prior seven games.
7 | Jake Kistaitis enters Friday on a seven-game hits streak for Metro State.

HISTORY WITH METRO STATE
The Chaps and Roadrunners had never met prior to Thursday's 6-4 LCU win. LCU improved to 2-3 against RMAC squads this season with the win.