No. 10 LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (24-9, 7-1)
vs. OKLAHOMA CHRISTIAN (21-10, 5-3)
April 6 – Noon
Dobson Field (Edmond, Oklahoma)
 
LEADING OFF
Lubbock Christian and Oklahoma Christian will face off in the rubber game of a three-game series at noon on Saturday after splitting Friday's doubleheader. LCU hit four home runs in their win, including two by outfielder Hill Alexander, who had a third in the nightcap to increase his season total to 10. The Chaps had a lead in game two as well, up 6-2 in the seventh inning, but a five-run explosion from OC gave the Eagles the win. With a win in the series finale, LCU will hold onto sole possession of first place in the Heartland Conference, while a loss and a win from Rogers State would put the two teams in a tie for the top spot.
 
 
PITCHING MATCHUP
LCU – Chandler Casey will begin the game on the bump for the Chaps, making his 12^th appearance and fifth start of the year. The Lubbock native has been dominant in his last two outings, allowing just three hits in his last 14.0 innings on the mound, winning Heartland Conference Pitcher of the Week in back-to-back weeks. He is 5-3 on the season with a 2.35 earned run average in 46.0 innings pitched. Casey has 48 strikeouts in that time as well and is holding opponents to a .219 batting average.
 
OC – Zach Pape will start for the ninth time this season for the Eagles. Pape is a senior from Wheat Ridge, Colorado with a 6.21 earned run average in 37.2 innings on the mound. Pape has only factored into five decisions, going 4-1 in those. He has struck out 22 batters but has a .323 opponent's batting average this season.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
.402 | Keaton Greenwalt had five hits in eight at-bats on Friday, pushing his batting average to a league-leading .402 mark
3 | Pitcher Ryan Johnson had not given up three earned runs in an outing all season until last week's win against Newman, but has now given up three in back-to-back starts
10-24 | Oklahoma Christian had 10 hits in 24 at-bats with runners in scoring position, hitting .417 in that situation on the first day
43.0 | Lubbock Christian has not committed an error since the fourth inning of last Tuesday's game against New Mexico Highlands, marking 43 straight innings without an error
23 | With five home runs on the day, the Chaps now have 49 on the season, 23 more than the next closest Heartland Conference team
3/4 | With five hits and one walk, Hill Alexander has reached base in exactly 75 percent of his plate appearances so far this season
.276 | The Chaps only went 10-36 against left-handed pitchers on Friday, but hit .367 against OC righties