LUBBOCK, Texas (March 23, 2018) – While Oklahoma Christian University stranded 19 runners on the afternoon, No. 14 Lubbock Christian University combined for 16 hits with runners in scoring position and went 8-for-8 with a runner at third base and less than two outs.  The Chaparrals success with runners on base led to a 10-3 and 17-12 win in a doubleheader split to open their Heartland Conference schedule Friday at Hays Field.
 
OC opened each game with the lead and the opening game's lead came in the top of the second inning off a solo home run by Brice Smith. The Chaps responded in the bottom half of the second inning with a seven-run inning. Andres Negron opened the LCU scoring with a two-run double before Keaton Greenwalt and Ryan Rogers each drove in runs with hits. Rogers' single scored a pair of runs to set up a three-run home run by Andrew Pratt for his team leading eighth home run of the season. The Eagles crawled within four runs of the Chaps (7-3) after a run in the third and the fifth inning, but the Chaps responded with a three-run bottom of the fifth inning. Braden Hayward plated Scotland Church with a double and Negron, the ensuing batter, produced a two-run home run for a 10-3 lead.
 
Ricky Contreras pitched a complete game for the Chaps. The junior allowed three runs off seven hits and did not allow any walks. He improves to 4-1 on the season. Mason McAlister (2-4) lasted two innings in his start for the Eagles and allowed seven runs off seven hits.
 
Pratt and Negron each produced three RBI for the Chaps, who improved to 13-2 in Heartland Conference openers under head coach Nathan Blackwood. Negron (3-for-3) also co-led LCU in hits alongside Rogers (3-for-4), as each had three hits. The Chaps, who did not get their leadoff batter aboard in the game (0-for-6), had 11 two-out hits in the game (three by Negron), leading to 10 two-out RBI. Brice Smith went 3-for-3 in the losing effort for OC.
 
Oklahoma Christian scored in seven of the nine innings of at-bats in the second game, but was unable to keep up with explosive offensive innings by the Chaps, whose scoring came during three of their eight innings of at-bats. Heading into the bottom of the third inning trailing 2-0, LCU got on the scoreboard off a two-run Scotland Church double to tie the game 2-2. They were not done scoring in the inning, as Rogers and Pratt each drove in a run before Dillon Drury hit a sacrifice fly to cap a five-run inning.    
 
Jake Collins helped LCU to a two-run fourth inning with a double, and they regained the lead in the fifth inning with Kyle Bottger homering and Drew Wright hitting a sacrifice fly to complete a two-run fifth inning for a 6-5 OC lead. The lead did not last long for OC, as LCU sent 14 batters to the plate in the home half of the fifth inning and produced nine runs off 10 hits. Four of the runs came off a grand slam by Hayward (fourth home run of the season), which was followed by Negron's second home run of the day for back-to-back shots. Hayward's grand slam is LCU's second of the season, as Rogers produced a slam on Feb. 10 against Metro State. The back-to-back blasts marked the second time the Chaps have completed the task this season, as Rogers and Pratt went back-to-back on Mar. 13 at Adams State.
 
Church doubled in a run and Rogers tacked the inning's last run with an RBI-single to close the nine-run inning. The 14-6 lead was not necessarily safe, as OC scored the game's next six runs over a three-inning span. Smith's two-run double down the line highlighted a four-run seventh inning for the Eagles, who cut the Chaps lead to 14-11. Luke Reynolds came in to get a hit off the bench and the Eagles run in the top of the eighth cut LCU's lead to 14-12. LCU grabbed insurance in the bottom of the inning, with Pratt's second home run of the game leading off a three-run inning. Pratt's home run extended his team leading mark to nine homers on the season. Will Clark hit a RBI-triple and Hayward singled up the middle to close the Chaps scoring frenzy.
 
The two teams combined for 14 pitchers, with LCU using eight arms. Starting pitcher Daniel Cruz allowed four runs (three earned) off seven hits before the Chaps bullpen ushered our seven pitchers, with none lasting over two innings. Shandon Herrera (1-0) claimed the victory with an inning of work. Chandler Casey pitched the final two innings and earned the save. Gabe Rodery (1-2) went for OC and allowed 11 runs off 10 hits in four innings.
 
OC stranded 15 baserunners, despite 13 hits with runners on base and seven hits with runners in scoring position. They were 7-of-9 with runners on third base and less than two outs, but they were limited to one two-out RBI. Smith was 4-for-6 with two RBI in the loss. Collins drove in three runs to lead the Eagles.
 
LCU batters produced 10 hits with runners in scoring position (.625) and 14 hits with runners on base (.583). Six different Chaps had a multi-hit game, with Pratt leading LCU going 4-for-5. Hayward was 3-for-5 with five RBI.
 
The Chaps improved to 17-7 overall and 2-0 in conference with the pair of wins. OC falls to 9-12 and they have dropped four straight games (six of their last seven games). The two teams wrap up their first four-game conference series Saturday with a noon doubleheader.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
.567 | LCU went 16-of-28 (.571) at the plate with runners in scoring position.
.778 | Bryce Smith went 7-for-9 Friday for OC with seven hits in nine at-bats.
6 | Ryan Rogers led LCU with six hits on the afternoon.
8 | LCU used eight pitchers in the second game of the doubleheader, which is the most pitchers LCU has used in a game under head coach Nathan Blackwood.
8-for-8 | LCU went eight-for-eight scoring the run from third base with less than two outs. Scotland Church and Braden Hayward are 2-for-2 scoring the runner in the scenario in the series.
10-3 | LCU had a 10-3 advantage Friday in two-out RBI.
20 | LCU recorded 20 hits in the second game of the series, which marks a season high.