ALAMOSA, Colo. (March 2, 2018) – Lubbock Christian University's Scotland Church and Andrew Pratt each hit a pair of home runs and eight unanswered runs led the No.10 Chaparrals to a 12-5 victory at Adams State University Friday at ASU Baseball Field.
 
LCU combined for five home runs in the game, as Ryan Rogers joined Church and Pratt to help LCU hit their most home runs in a contest since smacking five on Apr. 19, 2014 at Oklahoma Christian. The combo of Church and Pratt marked the first time two Chaps had multi-home run games (in the same game) since Brett Kauten and Joel Lutz each hit three on Apr. 26, 2013 at Wayland Baptist. That same contest, LCU hit three home runs in the same inning, which had not been duplicated until Friday in Alamosa. Church and Pratt and Rogers each went deep with two-run home runs in the ninth inning.  The trio of two-run shots was part of a seven-run inning, which all started with a leadoff double from Logan Nethercot and and a RBI-single from Will Clark to give LCU a 6-5 lead.
 
LCU opened the game with a 4-0 lead with a run in the first inning, in part to a leadoff double from Nethercot, and a three-run second inning. The trio of runs in the second inning were off the bat of Scotland Church, whose first home run of the season was a three-run home run. ASU matched LCU in the bottom half of the second inning with three runs off three hits and tied the game at 4-4 in the third inning off a trio of singles.
 
A home run by Orlando Romer in the sixth inning provided the Grizzlies their first lead of the game, leading 5-4. The Chaps tied the game in the top of the eighth inning with a solo home run by Pratt.
 
LCU had 16 hits, with six coming in the seven-run ninth inning. Pratt completed the game 4-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI. Brayden Hayward (3-for-5) also produced at least three hits for the Chaps. Church finished the game with five RBI off a 2-for-5 performance at the plate. Rogers also had three RBI for LCU. Dustin Kachel led ASU at the plate with a 3-for-5 performance.
 
Neither starting pitcher (Ryan Johnson for LCU and Daniel Brennan for ASU) received the decision and each went over five innings on the hill (5.1 for Johnson and 5.2 for Brennan). Ricky Contreras claimed the win (2-1), pitching 2.2 innings of hitless relief. Chance Ward took the loss for ASU (0-1), allowing three runs off five hits in 2.1 innings of relief.
 
LCU improved to 9-4 off their eighth consecutive victory and they are 2-0 on the road. ASU suffered their 12^th consecutive loss of continue to seek their first win of the year (0-12).  The two teams complete the series Saturday at 1 p.m. (Central) in Alamosa.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
.500 | LCU is 9-for-18 in the series in getting the leadoff batter aboard.
.556 | Andrew Pratt leads LCU in the series with a .556 average off 5-for-9 batting and a 1.222 slugging mark.
.625 | Dustin Kachel leads ASU in the series, as he is 5-for-8 against the Chaps.
2-for-2 | Logan Nethercot is 2-for-2 with a home run and double in his opening at-bats in the top of the first inning in the series.
3 | LCU scored 12 runs despite only three hits with runners in scoring position.
5 | All five of Scotland Church's RBI were two-out RBI.
8 | Teams have combined for eight double plays in the series, with each hitting into and turning four.
8-2 | LCU has an 8-2 advantage in the series in extra-base hits (six homers).
13 | LCU has 13 hits in the series with runners on base, compared to seven by ASU.
33 | LCU matched a season high with 33 total bases.