DENVER, Colorado (Feb. 24, 2019) – Lubbock Christian University and Metro State were only able to get in two games out of their scheduled four-game series this weekend, playing a doubleheader on Sunday that they split with a 4-1 win and 2-1 extra-inning loss.
 
The Chaps moved to 8-4 on the season with the doubleheader split and suffered their second walkoff loss of the season in the second game. LCU also lost in the last inning on Feb. 3 against Missouri Southern State.
 
Game one went well, however, as the Chaps started off on the right foot with three runs in the second inning. The run-scoring effort began with a pair of two-out walks by Braden Hayward and Drew Austin. Both then came into score when Andres Negron tripled to right center field. It was Negron's first triple of the year, but the eighth of the season for the Chaps, which ties them for the most among all D-II teams.
 
Negron then came into score on a single from Eddy Vasquez, staking LCU starting pitcher Ryan Johnson. The Winnipeg native was on the mound for the full seven-inning game, marking the third straight start with at least seven innings pitched. Already ranking second nationally in total strikeouts, Johnson added seven to that total to get to 38 this season. He gave up just one run, in the bottom of the third, lowering his season earned run average to 1.33 in 27 total innings on the mound.
 
LCU added one more insurance run for Johnson in the top of the sixth inning, as Hill Alexander led off with a single and was doubled home one out later by Hayward, putting the Chaps back up by three.
 
Johnson closed out the final two innings while allowing just one more hit in the seventh. He earned his third win of the season and has not lost yet.
 
The Chaps got another great start on the mound in game two of the day, as Callan Johnson took over as the pitcher He went 6.1 innings on the mound during the nine-inning game, giving up just three hits while striking out 11 batters.
 
Callan had a lead for most of the game, but it was slim. Lubbock Christian's only run in the second game came in the third inning by way of Braden Hayward. The senior came up to bat to lead off the inning, blasting an opposite field, solo home run over the right field wall. It was Hayward's second homer of the year and his 10^th RBI, which ties him for second on the team.
 
LCU held on to the one-run lead all the way through the seventh, when relief pitcher Chandler Casey came in to take over on the mound. Casey got the Chaps out of a jam in the bottom of the seventh, stranding a runner at third base.
 
The Roadrunners finally broke through in the eighth inning, using a pair of singles with a sacrifice bunt in the middle to score their first run and tie the game. LCU was unable to get the run back in the top of the ninth, pushing the games to extra innings, where MSU-Denver won it.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
13 – LCU left 13 runners on base during the two games combined
26 – Ryan Johnson allowed just five baserunners during his seven innings on the mound, facing 26 batters overall
.388 – Hill Alexander had hits in both games of the day and has recorded hits in seven of the last eight games, raising his batting average to .388
33 – Denver's temperature when game one of the doubleheader started at 11 a.m. MST was 33 degrees Fahrenheit