LUBBOCK, Texas (March 15, 2019) – Lubbock Christian will go for another win in a four-game series on Saturday after splitting Friday's doubleheader with Texas A&M-International with a 4-3 loss in game one and a 10-0 win in game two.
 
The Chaps (15-8) scratched across just three hits in the first game of the day but returned the favor in the late game as Nathan Dockery allowed the Dustdevils (9-16) just one baserunner in the second game.
 
GAME ONE
Chandler Casey started in the first game of the day, marking just his second start of the season. He gave up an early run after a double and a single in the first inning. The Dustdevils added an unearned run in the third and then scored twice in the fourth inning to go up 4-0.
 
LCU finally got on the board in the bottom of the fourth inning with three runs. Hill Alexander led things off with a walk and catcher Andrew Pratt followed with a double. Keaton Greenwalt then drove in the first run with a single to the left side of the infield. Andres Negron then moved both baserunners with a sacrifice bunt. They both came into score on wild pitchesm before TAMIU finally got out of the inning.
 
The Chaps threatened to tie the game up again, as Negron singled and Will Clark worked a two-out walk, but James Hardberger struck out to end the inning, and the Dustdevils closed out the win in the seventh.
 
GAME TWO
It looked as though game two might start the same was as the first one, with Texas A&M-International's leadoff batter reaching base via a single to right field. The hit was an aberration, however as starting pitcher Nathan Dockery retired the next 14 straight batters and did not allow another hit the rest of the game.
 
The Chaps took the lead in the second inning on a double from Ryan Rijo, who made just his third start of the year at first base. Rijo's double scored Greenwalt, who had singled and stole second base to get into scoring position.
 
LCU's lead expanded in the third inning after a fielding error by the Dustdevils allowed Hill Alexander to reach base and kept the Chap inning alive. Andrew Pratt immediately followed with a single to center field, scoring Braden Hayward. Alexander then scored from third on a wild pitch and a Greenwalt single scored Pratt from second base to put LCU up 4-0.
 
Lubbock Christian added on again in the bottom of the fourth inning with another three runs. Drew Austin reached via a fielder's choice after Rijo was hit by a pitch to start the inning, and LCU quickly loaded the bases with an Eddy Vasquez single through the left side and a Chase Whetsel bunt single. TAMIU pitcher Andrew Hernandez got the second out but then walked Alexander, Pratt and Greenwalt to score three straight runs. Nick Montemayor came in to relieve Hernandez and finally got out of the inning.
 
In the fifth, the Dustdevils finally got their second baserunner with a walk, but Dockery quickly induced a popup to second base to get out of the inning. The Amarillo native walked one more batter in the sixth, but ended the day allowing only three baserunners while matching his career high of seven innings pitched and striking out six batters.
 
The last three runs of the day came in the sixth inning, as Whetsel led off with a walk, followed by three straight singles from Hayward, Alexander and Pratt, who drove in a pair of runs. Alexander then came into score on when Negron struck out, but the Dustdevils were forced to throw down to first to get the out.
 
Dockery struck out two batters in the seventh and got a lineout from the last hitter to secure the win.
 
NEXT UP
Lubbock Christian will look to win their third straight series in the finale, which will be played at 1 p.m. Friday at Hays Field.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
13 | LCU has 13 hits in 32 at-bats with runners in scoring position this series for a .406 batting average
.106 | The Dustdevils have just five hits in 47 at-bats against left-handed pitchers compared to a .378 batting average against righty hurlers
9 | Keaton Greenwalt stole another base in the second game of the doubleheader, making him 9-10 on the season
2.00 | The Chap pitching staff is averaging just two walks per game so far in the series, down from their average of 4.1 through the first 20 games of the season
1/3 | LCU leadoff batters have reached base exactly 33.3 percent of the time in the series