TEXAS A&M INTERNATIONAL (12-23, 4-10)
at No.18 LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (24-12, 9-5)
Saturday, Apr. 14, 2018 – 12 p.m. / 2 p.m. (DH)
Hays Field (Lubbock, Texas)
Radio: KJTV 100.7 The Score
All-Time Series: LCU leads 14-3
Tweet #LCUvsTAMIU | Tweet #HeartlandBASE
 
No.18 Lubbock Christian University avoided any ill-effects from their four-game losing skid in San Antonio Friday, rebounding with a pair of wins at Hays Field to sweep a doubleheader to extend their streak of home victories to six games. They continue their home series with Texas A&M University Saturday with a noon first pitch. LCU enters the day tied with St. Mary's in second place of the Heartland Conference standings (each team is 9-5 in conference).  Arkansas Fort Smith is atop the standings (9-3) and they were unable to open their four-game series with Rogers State Friday (weather).
 
RANKINGS 
LCU: No.18 (Perfect Game)
TAMIU: N/A
 
SCHEDULED STARTING PITCHER
 
GAME 1
LCU – Ryan Johnson (4-3, 2.82 ERA)
Johnson, who has allowed two earned runs over his 11.2 innings pitched at Hays Field, is scheduled for his 10^th outing and ninth start on the mound for LCU. He faced his shortest start of the season last Friday in San Antonio, allowing four runs off two hits and walking five batters in 3.2 innings. Johnson has a 0.98 WHIP, ranking 35^th nationally and holds opponents to a .196 batting average. The Canadian left-hander is 1-0 against TAMIU this season, as he went 5.2 innings and allowed two runs off seven hits of a 14-2 LCU win.  
 
TAMIU – Kyle Kieschnick (1-4, 10.89 ERA)
Kieschnick is slated for his eighth appearance and his sixth start on the hill this season. The senior from Bishop, Texas is a lefthanded pitcher, who suffered the loss on Mar. 10 to LCU by allowing five runs off six hits in 3.0 innings. He has not lasted more than 3.0 innings in his last four outings.
 
GAME 2
LCU – Daniel Crooks (3-3, 4.53 ERA)
Crooks is tentatively set for his 10^th appearance and ninth start of the season. He is coming off a loss last Saturday in San Antonio, allowing six runs (four earned) off seven hits in 3.1 innings against St. Mary's. The right-hander from Midland, Texas is 1-2 at home this season with a 3.42 ERA, and is 1-0 this season against TAMIU after allowing three runs off six hits in 5.0 innings of an 8-5 win over TAMIU on Mar. 10.
 
TAMIU – Erick Garay (0-3, 9.50 ERA)
Garay will mark the third Laredo native LCU will face on the mound to start for TAMIU in the series. He went 2.2 innings of relief on Mar. 9 (14-2 LCU win) and allowed four runs off five hits. Opponents are hitting .368 against Garay this season. 
 
LOOKING BACK
LCU 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.
 
STRIKING OUT HUNGER
Lubbock Christian University is conducting their "Strike Out Hunger" campaign Saturday for both LCU baseball and softball events scheduled. Individuals are encouraged to bring five canned food items to receive free game admission or bring 10 canned food items for family admission. Fans are also encouraged to bring additional canned food items to participate in games and activities. Complimentary hamburgers and hot dogs will be grilled up for those participating in the food drive, which is supporting the South Plains Food Bank.
 
ON THE HOME FRONT
LCU is 15-6 at home this season, with a team batting average of .306 and an ERA of 3.25. Andrew Pratt is leading LCU at Hays Field with a .377 batting average. Ryan Rogers co-leads LCU in hits at home with 26 (four doubles and three homers included), joining Pratt. The pair have combined for 45 RBI at home. On the hill, LCU pitching has held opponents to a .223 average at Hays Field. LCU's starting pitching holds a 2.50 ERA at home and they have held opponents to a .203 batting average at home.
 
STREAKS
Many Chaps streaks came to a screeching halt in San Antonio. Andrew Pratt and Logan Nethercott each have an active four-game hit streaks. Pratt has reached base in 16 consecutive games, which actively leads the squad.  Ryan Rogers holds the seasons highs, with a 12-game hit streak and a streak of 24 games reaching base safely.
 
HAVING HEART
Highlighting LCU's 9-5 conference record is a .338 batting average in conference games this season. Andrew Pratt (.489), Keaton Greenwalt (.417) and Scotland Church (.412) are each hitting over .400 in conference play. Pratt has a .889 slugging mark and an on-base percentage of .574. The Chaps have five players with at least 10 RBI in conference play, with Pratt leading the team with 16 in conference. LCU's pitching has a 4.47 ERA in conference play, with opponents hitting .255 against them.  Opponents have a 8.39 ERA against LCU in conference.
  
INSIDE THE SERIES WITH TAMIU
.403 | The Chaps are hitting .403 in the series with runners on base.
.500 | LCU has a .500 mark in the series on getting the leadoff batter aboard (22 of 44).
.619 | Ryan Rogers leads LCU in the series with a 13-for-21 (.619) performance at the plate with three home runs, three doubles and a triple, leading to 12 RBI.
.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.
43-6 | LCU has a 43-6 advantage in the series in extra-base hits. The Chaps have a 17-1 advantage in home runs. Andrew Pratt has four home runs against TAMIU this season, with Ryan Rogers, Scotland Church and Keaton Greenwalt each with three.
65-34 | LCU has flown out 65 times in the series, compared to 34 by TAMIU, who has grounded into 48 outs.
3 | Keaton Greenwalt has four home runs this season and three have come against TAMIU.
5.8 | The Chaps offense averaged 5.8 batters per inning Friday.
7 | Daniel Espinosa leads TAMIU in the series with seven hits.
21 | Teams have combined for 21 two-out RBI in the series (LCU has 12).
 
HISTORY WITH TAMIU
LCU leads the all-time series with an advantage of 14-3. They have won 11 of the last 13 meetings, including winning three-of-four games in a four-game non-conference series played in March in Laredo. LCU is 8-0 all-time in Lubbock in the series.