LUBBOCK, Texas (Apr. 13, 2018) – No.18 Lubbock Christian University produced 16 extra-base hits, including seven home runs Friday, but the key to their 10-2 and 13-0 wins to sweep Texas A&M International in a Heartland Conference doubleheader was the complete games by pitchers
Ricky Contreras and
Callan Johnson at a windy Hays Field.
The two starting pitchers for LCU each had a 7.0 inning complete game effort, with Johnson completing his first complete game and complete game shutout of the season. On an afternoon the wind was blowing out 30 MPH, the key was to keep the ball out of the air, and the pair forced TAMIU into 18 ground-outs (they flew out five times) and combined for 16 strikeouts (34 of the 42 outs).
Contreras improved to 6-2 in his 7.0 innings of work to complete his fourth complete game of the season. He surrendered four hits to the Dustdevils (all singles), with three of the hits on the ground and occurring in the third inning. TAMIU sent six batters to the plate in the third inning with two outs, but Ricky Gonzalez's single through the right side scored TAMIU's only runs on the day. Contreras was strong the rest of the way, not allowing a hit to the final 13 batters faced. He faced two batters over the minimum, if you exclude the third innings.
Johnson, who forced TAMIU to ground out into 10 outs, allowed a low of five balls hit into the air. Two, hit by Daniel Espinoza, resulted into fly outs. The other three resulted in the only hits allowed by Johnson, who averaged facing 3.8 batters per inning. Johnson held TAMIU to 1-for-10 with runners on base and 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position. He improved 6-2 with the victory and struck out nine batters.
LCU had no problem scoring Friday. They scored in 10 of their 12 innings of at bats, out-hitting TAMIU 30-7, with a 16-2 advantage in extra-base hits. The Chaps produced seven home runs, with five tallied in the 10-2 victory. The five homers tied a single-game high this season, marking the third time LCU has completed the task, but it was their first time producing five homers at home in a game this season and the first time at Hays Field since they produced five against Lindenwood on Mar. 25, 2012.
Greenwalt had two home runs (in each of his first two at-bats) in the opening game. He produced a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning and followed with a two-run shot in the third inning, which highlighted a three-run inning for a 5-2 lead. The three-run inning generated the first three runs of an eventual string of eight unanswered runs by LCU.
Andrew Pratt, 3-for-4 in the contest, hit a two-run home run to cap a three-run fourth inning, and
James Hardberger (leadoff home run in the fifth inning) and
Scotland Church (sixth inning) followed with home runs for LCU.
The Chaps produced 14 hits in the opener, with seven going for extra bases. Greenwalt led LCU with three RBI in the game, notching his first career multi-home run contest.
Pratt, with another 3-for-4 performance in the second game, opened the scoring of the second game with a two-run double. Church followed with a two-run blast over the centerfield wall to complete a four-run first inning for LCU. They added to a 7-0 lead in the fifth inning with a six-run inning. LCU hit for the cycle in the fifth inning, with five hits and four for extra bases.
Logan Nethercot hit a two-run homer,
Ryan Rogers hit his third career triple, Pratt and
Andres Negron each doubled and Church completed a 4-for-4 performance in the game with a single in the inning.
The No.2-through-No.5 positions in the order, which comprised of Rogers (3-for-4), Pratt and Church combined for a 10-for-12 performance at the plate and accounted for six RBI. Negron and Nethercot also contributed with 2-for-3 performances in LCU's 13-0 win. LCU had 16 hits in the contest (nine for extra-bases).
TAMIU, held to seven hits on the day, had starting pitchers Ruben Solis (1-4) and Hugo Mendiola (2-5) saddled with losses. Solis allowed eight runs off 10 hits in 3.2 innings, while Mendiola allowed 11 runs off 13 hits in 4.1 innings.
The wins improve LCU to 24-12 on the season and 9-5 in conference, while TAMIU has dropped six straight contests and falls to 12-23 overall and 4-10 in Heartland play. LCU, winners of six straight home games, complete their four-game conference series with the Dustdevils (and eight-game season series) Saturday with a doubleheader starting at noon. The games are part of annual LCU's Strikeout Hunger campaign and fans are encouraged to bring five canned food items for free game admission (10 cans receives family admission). The canned goods will be donated to the South Plains Food Bank.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
0.00 –
Callan Johnson has a 0.00 ERA in two appearances covering 13.0 innings this season against TAMIU. He has held TAMIU without a run off seven hits in 13.0 innings and 16 strikeouts.
.469 | LCU produced 30 hits and a .469 batting average as a team, while holding TAMIU to a .149 average on the day.
.750 |
Scotland Church and
Andrew Pratt each went 6-for-8 Friday. Church produced 13 total bases and a 1.625 slugging mark, while Pratt led LCU with five RBI.
3 |
Keaton Greenwalt has three home runs this season and four have come against TAMIU.
4 | LCU's
Callan Johnson registered his first shutout of the season and LCU's fourth of the season. LCU is 4-3 in shutout results on the season.
5.8 | The Chaps offense averaged 5.8 batters per inning Friday.
13-1 | LCU combined for five runs in the first inning Friday, scoring in the first inning in each game. LCU is 13-1 this season when scoring in the first inning.
16 | The Chaps have 16 home runs in their current six-game home win streak (2.7 per game).
16-5 | LCU hit into 16 fly-outs on the day, with TAMIU hitting into five. TAMIU grounded out 18 times.
18-3 | LCU had 18 hits with runners on base (TAMIU had three), with the Chaps hitting .474 with runners on.
