FORT SMITH, Ark. (March 22, 2019) – On the first day of Heartland Conference play, Lubbock Christian University already has a series win, sweeping Friday's doubleheader with Arkansas-Fort Smith.
 
Ryan Johnson and Logan McCrummen earned the wins on the mound for the Chaps, who moved to 18-8 on the season with the two wins. LCU leads the conference in both batting average at .315 and earned run average at 3.41. The staff ERA is the only one in the conference below 4.00.
 
GAME ONE
Things started off on the right foot for the Chaps, as Ryan Johnson struck out three Lions in the opening frame and LCU took the first lead of the game with a run in the third. The run was unearned, as James Hardberger scored while Chase Whetsel reached on a fielding error by the shortstop.
 
Hardberger then led another scoring effort in the top of the fifth, leading off the inning with a single and Eddy Vasquez followed with a base hit of his own. Braden Hayward and Andrew Pratt drove in the runners, giving Johnson a 3-0 lead.
 
Johnson gave up his only run of the game in the bottom of the sixth on a home run to left field, but induced a double play to close out the inning. The Manitoba native pitched his conference-leading fourth complete game of the season and struck out 10 en route to his sixth win this year.
 
The Chaps added one final run in the top of the seventh, as Hayward came to the plate and blasted his sixth home run of the year. The senior third basemen is now tied for second in the conference. Hill Alexander also has six and Pratt leads the league with seven.
 
GAME TWO
UAFS took the lead first in the second game of the day, as Callan Johnson made his first appearance since March 9 against St. Edward's. The first run of the game was unearned, but Johnson gave up three earned runs in 4.1 innings pitched, striking out three.
 
LCU got on top for the first time in the game in the fourth inning with three unearned runs of their own, but the Lions got right back on top with two runs in the fourth and one in the fifth inning.
 
The Chaps took the lead for good in the top half of the seventh inning, as Alexander came up to the plate with LCU down 4-3. Braden Hayward was on base again after a single gave him his fifth hit of the day. He had three in the first game and two in the second. He is now tied for second on the team with 10 multi-hit games. Alexander homered to left field, scoring himself and Hayward and giving LCU the lead.
 
The rally continued, as Keaton Greenwalt singled and Harberger walked, with Drew Austin driving the pair in with a double. Austin then scored on a single from Eddy Vasquez.
 
Lubbock Christian's five runs came while Logan McCrummen was on the mound, and the junior finished out the game to earn his third win overall. McCrummen pitched 4.0 innings overall and allowed just two hits. He has given up only for hits in his last 12.0 innings pitched.
 
The Chaps will face the Lions one final time in the regular season, closing out the series at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday. LCU will pitch senior Chandler Casey while UAFS will use freshman Andrew McGlynn on the mound.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
1.31 | Starting pitcher Ryan Johnson allowed just one run over seven innings pitched, lowering his ERA to 1.31
9 | Lubbock Christian had two sacrifice bunts on the day, moving them into a tie for seventh in the conference in that category. The Chaps had previously been last all year
.510 | Five extra-base hits on the day brought the Chaps' slugging percentage to .510 for the year, which leads the Heartland Conference
6-0 | Drew Austin batted in the eight-hole in game two of the doubleheader and LCU won, moving them to 6-0 on the season when he hits there
11 | Lubbock Christian now has 11 road wins the season, matching their total from the 2018 season