LUBBOCK, Texas (March 26, 2019) – It took 10 innings, but Lubbock Christian University got its sixth straight win, defeating New Mexico Highlands 6-5 on Tuesday at Hays Field.
 
The Chaps (20-8) scored the game-winning run with one out in the tenth inning, as Andres Negron reached a on a fielder's choice and moved into scoring position on an error. Peyton Maddox then came to the plate and hit a high chopper to third base. The third basemen attempted to throw out Maddox, and the ball popped out of the first basemen's glove, allowing Negron to come around third and score.
 
Playing in just their second midweek game of the season, LCU played a back-and-forth game against NMHU. The Cowboys got an unearned run in the game's opening inning, after leadoff batter Auggie Francis reached on an error. The run was one of just two Shandon Herrera gave up, making a spot start in the midweek game.
 
Herrera set a number of new career highs in the outing, pitching 5.0 innings, scattering just four hits and striking out six batters. The sophomore almost doubled his innings pitched for the year and lowered his earned run average more than three runs.
 
LCU evened the score in the bottom of the first on a Keaton Greenwalt single up the middle that scored Andrew Pratt. The Cowboys then scored another run in the second, but the Chaps again scored in the bottom half of the inning as well. Eddy Vasquez did the damage this time, driving in Andres Negron.
 
The Chaps took the lead for the first time in the game in the bottom of the third, as Greenwalt doubled in Hill Alexander and Ryan Rijo singled up the middle to drive in Greenwalt.
 
LCU held onto that lead for five innings, but NMHU slowly chipped away. The bullpen took over in the sixth inning, as Cody Lancaster took over for Herrera. The freshman gave up a solo home run, starting a trend that the next two relievers followed, and by the time Logan McCrummen gave up a solo shot in the eighth inning, NMHU took a 5-4 lead.
 
It took a couple of bench players, but the Chaps once again evened the score in the bottom of the eighth. Will Clark led off the inning with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Negron. Clark then moved to third on a wild pitch. Ryan Rijo then reached on an error, and was removed for pinch runner A.J. Perez. Pinch hitter James Hardberger then came to the plate and slapped a single through the left side to drive in Clark.
 
Neither team could get a run across in the ninth inning, as Koi Carrillo escaped a bases-loaded jam and Greenwalt had a ball caught at the warning track.
 
The Chaps finally took the lead again in the 10^th after Will Clark once again reached as the leadoff batter, sparking the rally that won the game.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
6 | LCU has won six straight games, dating back 3/15 against Texas A&M-International
.319 | Chaps are now hitting .319 with runners in scoring position
11 | Eddy Vasquez hit a single in the sixth inning and has now reached base in 11 straight games
4 | Lubbock Christian has only scored four extra-inning runs this season but is 4-2 when games go extras this year
.644 | In 73 chances with a runner on third and less than two outs, LCU has driven in the runner 47 times for a 64.4 percent success rate
 
NEXT UP
Lubbock Christian will remain at home this weekend, taking on Newman in a three-game Heartland Conference series. LCU will play a doubleheader Friday starting at 3 p.m. and wrap up the series with a single game at 1 p.m. on Saturday.