SAN ANGELO, Texas (May 16, 2019) – Lubbock Christian University was unable to hold onto an early lead in their opening round NCAA Tournament Game as Rogers State scored a nine runs to take down the Chaps.
 
LCU lost their fourth straight game dating back to the regular season series finale against St. Mary's on May 4 after not losing more than two games in a row prior to that. They are now 35-16 on the year.
 
Things looked good to start, as the Chaps scored a pair of first inning runs on a Braden Hayward double, a Hill Alexander single and a triple from Keaton Greenwalt. The two teams then traded runs in the second inning before Rogers State took the lead for good in the third.
 
Five Hillcat runs came in during the inning, including an RBI single from Grant Farris, a groundout from Brandon Bradshaw, and a double from Griffin Keller that gave RSU a lead they would not relinquish the rest of the night.
 
The Chaps pulled back within two runs in the bottom of the fifth when Alexander led off with a home run, his team-leading 14^th of the season. LCU then seemed poised for a big rally, as a pair of walks to Andrew Pratt and Greenwalt along with a bunt single from Will Clark loaded the bases with no outs. The Hillcats turned a 1-2-3 double play to help ease the situation, but a Hardberger walk re-loaded the bases. The Chaps had one more chance in the inning and Eddy Vasquez lined a ball hard, but it hit Clark off of second base to end the threat.
 
RSU broke the game open in the top of the seventh with another four runs, chasing LCU starting pitcher Ryan Johnson from the game after six and a third innings. It was the first time Johnson did not go at least seven innings since April 18 at Texas A&M-International.
 
LCU got back a run in the eighth and loaded the bases yet again, this time with two outs. Clark came to the plate this time around and again hit the ball hard, but right at the RSU shortstop to end another scoring chance. The Chaps went down in order in the ninth, sending the Hillcats to the winners bracket and LCU to a 3:30 game on Friday against Angelo State.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
4 | LCU matched their season high with four double plays turned in the game
13 | Chaps left 13 runners on base compared to just five for the Hillcats
32 | Andrew Pratt reached base in his 32^nd consecutive game for the longest streak since Ryan Meade also reached in 32 straight in 2012
.222  | LCU's leadoff batter reached in just two of their nine innings at the plate
 
NEXT UP
LCU will try and stave off elimination as they take on the host and No. 2 seed Rams of Angelo State at 3:30 p.m. on Friday at Foster Field.