LUBBOCK, Texas (April 12, 2019) – For the second time this season it took 10 innings to decide a series finale between St. Edward's and Lubbock Christian, as LCU walked it off against SEU on Friday afternoon.
 
The win allowed the Chaps to sweep the series and moved them to 29-9 on the season with an 11- record in the Heartland Conference, where they rank first. St. Edward's fell to seven games below .500 with the loss at 16-23 and is 4-8 in league play. For the Chaps, it was their first sweep of St. Edward's since March of 2014.
 
Chandler Casey started the game for LCU after getting the save in Thursday night's contest and was dominant. He pitched the first nine innings of the game, scattering 10 hits and allowing just one run. The Lubbock native struck out nine batters, seven of which were looking, and lowered his earned run average to 1.94 for the season.
 
Casey did not factor into the game decision however, as the Chaps could only muster up one run through the first nine innings as well. LCU's lone run with Casey on the mound came in the second inning, as Andrew Pratt and Will Clark hit back-to-back singles to start the inning. Andres Negron then laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt for the first out of the inning, and a sacrifice fly to right field from James Hardberger scored Pratt from third.
 
St. Edward's got its run in the sixth inning after a pair of infield singles put a runner in scoring position for just the second time all day. Blake Holub came through with two outs, singling up the middle to score Tyler Markee and tie the game.
 
Both teams had chances to score in the ninth inning and had rallies killed with outs at home plate. In the top half, it was another pair of infield singles from the Hilltoppers that started a two-out rally and brought pinch hitter Trent Rosenauer to the plate. Rosenauer singled through the right side of the infield and shortstop Morgan Allen was waved around third. Chap right fielder Hill Alexander fielded the ball cleanly, however, and fired a one-hop throw to the plate to nab Allen and keep the score tied.
 
In the bottom of the inning, Hardberger singled and advanced to second on a groundout from Eddy Vasquez. A.J. Perez was then entered as a pinch runner as LCU tried to get the go-ahead run. Chase Whetsel singled next, also to right field and Perez was sent home, meeting the same fate that Allen had in the top half of the inning.
 
Lubbock Christian finally broke through in the 10^th inning, as Hill Alexander reached on an infield single. Then, with the corners in expecting a bunt, Keaton Greenwalt also singled in the infield, followed by an Andrew Pratt bunt that advanced both runners. Will Clark was intentionally walked bringing Andres Negron to the plate to face Jayson Flores. Negron did not wait, stroking the first pitch he saw for a single to left field. Alexander jogged home and the Chaps mobbed Negron at first base to celebrate.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
.401 | With two walks and a hit on the day, Keaton Greenwalt raised his batting average back over the .400 mark for the season
4-17 | In the series finale, the two teams were a combined 4-16 with runners in scoring position
3.72 | LCU freshman Koi Carrillo pitched in relief in every game of the series and did not allow a hit while striking out two batters and lowering his season ERA to 3.72
8.0 | SEU starting pitcher Nathan Medrano had the best outing of his young career, setting new highs in innings pitched (8.0) and strikeouts (10)
13 | Chaps left 13 runners on base in the series finale
 
NEXT UP
Lubbock Christian will now look towards its final road series of the season as they travel to Texas A&M-International to take on the Dustdevils on Friday and Saturday.