LEADING OFF 
Coming off their first road series win of the season against a tough, in-region opponent in Angelo State, Lubbock Christian University will be on the road again this weekend, traveling across state lines to take on MSU-Denver in what has turned into a three-game series. The series was originally scheduled to be four games, but Friday's game was canceled because of inclement weather in the Denver area. LCU has already postponed one game earlier this week, avoiding Tuesday's bad weather in Lubbock by moving their midweek matchup with New Mexico Highlands until March. 

THE CHAPARRAL NINE
• Lubbock Christian has the 15th best batting average in the nation at .326
• LCU plays 17 of its first 22 games away from home this season
• Chaps hosted MSU-Denver last year and swept the Roadrunners in a four-game series
• LCU batters are hitting .412 (35-85) when leading off an inning
• SP Ryan Johnson ranks No. 2 in the nation with 31 strikeouts on the season
• Lubbock Christian batters are hitting .338 against left-handed pitchers
• LCU leads the Heartland Conference with 14 home runs so far this season
• Chap starting pitchers have a combined ERA of just 2.71

MOTHER NATURE
LCU's series with MSU-Denver was originally scheduled to be for four games with a single game Friday, a doubleheader Saturday and the finale Sunday. Two games of the series have already been canceled, however, due to snowfall in the Denver area. Friday's series opener was canceled early in the week with snow already in the forecast for Friday. The two teams tried to get in at least one game on Saturday, but were unable to do so with the snowfall at the Regency Athletic Complex. Sunday will now include a doubleheader with one seven inning game and one nine inning game before the Chaps return to Lubbock. 

POWER NUMBERS
Lubbock Christian University has had a hot start at the plate this season and the numbers back it up. LCU ranks in the top 25 nationally in a number of offensive categories, including hits (14^th, 116), batting average (15^th, .323), home runs (9^th, 14) and slugging percentage (11^th, .543). No one player is currently leading the offense, as Andrew Pratt is first on the team in on-base percentage, Hill Alexanderleads in total bases, Chase Whetsel has the highest batting average and Keaton Greenwalt is first in home runs and stolen bases.
 
THREE'S COMPANY
The Chaps are currently No. 3 nationally and first in the Heartland Conference with a team total of seven triples on the year. Only two teams, Augustana and Lynn, have more triples than LCU, and each of them only has eight. Five different Lubbock Christian hitters have tallied three-baggers already this season, including Chase Whetsel and Hill Alexander, who are tied for the team lead with two each.
 
GETTING ON BASE
Lubbock Christian leadoff batters have done well at getting on base this season, reaching in more than 41 percent of their opportunities on the year. The Chaps actual leadoff batter, Chase Whetsel, has gotten on base an astounding 62.5 percent of his chances (10-16), while Andrew Pratt and James Hardberger have both posted better than .400 on-base percentages when leading off an inning.
 
SWING AWAY
When Nathan Blackwood is signaling from the third base coaching box, he is most likely not telling his hitter to lay down a sacrifice bunt. LCU ranked dead last in the Heartland Conference in bunts last season with just 17. The next lowest total came from Newman, but even the Jets had 27 on the year. This year, the Chaps have laid down exactly two sacrifice bunts, again ranking last in the conference.
 
STARTING OFF
Chap starting pitchers have had a dominant start to the season, giving LCU a chance to win in all 10 games so far this season. The starting pitchers have a combined ERA of just 2.71 over 63.0 innings pitched. They have struck out 75 batters already this year and limited opposing batters to just a .214 average. Ryan Johnson leads the group with 31 strikeouts (No. 2 nationally) and a 1.35 ERA. LCU will start Ryan Johnson, Callan Johnson and Nathan Dockery in this weekend's series.
 
LOOKING AT THE LAST SERIES
Lubbock Christian earned a big in-region series win, taking two out of three games on the road at Angelo State. It was the first series win on the road against Angelo State since 2013, when they also took two out of three games. Hill Alexander led the way at the plate in the series, hitting .417, scoring twice and driving in three runs, while Nathan Dockery and Ryan Johnson earned the wins on the mound.
 
IN THE POLLS
A pair of baseball organizations began publishing their weekly national polls this week, with LCU receiving recognition in both. In the Perfect Game USA Poll, LCU moved up to No. 13 in the nation after ranking 15^th in their preseason poll. The NCBWA also published a national poll this week, but with Lubbock Christian just receiving votes. LCU was ranked in the NCBWA's regional poll, coming in at No. 4. Collegiate Baseball Newspaper has not yet begun publishing its weekly Division II Poll.
 
ROAD WARRIORS
The Chaps will play 17 of their first 22 games this season away from the friendly confines of Hays Field and City Bank Clubhouse, playing just one home series (vs. Cameron Feb. 8-10) and) before March 14. The Chaps were scheduled to play one more home game in February against New Mexico Highlands but postponed it until March because of weather. LCU was 13-14 in games away from Lubbock last season and is 72-60 in road or neutral site games over the last five seasons.
 
MAJOR-LEAGUE CONNECTION
With MLB spring training under way and opening day right around the corner, a pair of former Chaparral baseball players have been busy. Buck Britton (IF, 2007-08) and Wigberto Nevarez (C, 2013-14) are both now in the coaching ranks in professional baseball. Britton was promoted and named the Double-A manager for the Bowie Baysox of the Baltimore Orioles organization. Nevarez has just ended his playing career and will serve as a coach with the Single-A Rome Braves of the Atlanta Braves organization.
 
2000 AND COUNTING
Since the inception of LCU's baseball program in 1971, the Chaparrals have been one of the best baseball teams at whatever level they were playing at. Lubbock Christian has played 3,085 games throughout all those years, posting an overall program record of 2,080 wins and 1,005 losses in that time for a winning percentage of .674.
 
HOMEGROWN PRODUCTS
Of the 33 players on the Lubbock Christian University baseball team this season, exactly one third (11) played high school baseball in Lubbock. Another three players on the 2019 of LCU's baseball team are from the surrounding area of Lubbock, including Idalou, New Deal and Shallowater.
 
COACHING CONSISTENCY
Lubbock Christian is bringing back the same three main coaches that have been with the team each of the last six seasons. Pitching coach Justin Sundlie, who played catcher at LCU in 2005 and 2006, is the newbie of the group, entering his seventh season with the Chaps, while head coach Nathan Blackwoodand hitting coach Bob Fannin have been leading the program for the last 15 seasons. Together, the group has led LCU to a pair of first place finishes in the Heartland Conference, two NCAA South Central Regional appearances and a 222-110 (.667) won-loss record.