LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (3-7, 3-7) vs.
ANGELO STATE (10-0, 10-0)
Friday, February 21 – 4 p.m.
Hays Field – Lubbock, Texas
 
LEADING OFF
Lubbock Christian returns to the friendly confines of Hays Field this weekend, looking to snap a four-game losing streak. It'll be a tough task to get those wins, however, as they welcome the No. 1 team in the country to Lubbock in Angelo State. The Chaps were swept in a four-game series on the road last weekend, losing three of the four contests against Texas A&M-Kingsville by just one run. Angelo State comes into the weekend undefeated this year with series sweeps against Eastern New Mexico, Oklahoma Christian and Cameron. LCU is hitting .221 as a team, led by George Mendazona's .308 average. The pitching staff has an earned run average of 4.70 for the year, led by Koi Carrillo's 2.70.
 
THE CHAPARRAL NINE
• Lubbock Christian and Angelo State have faced off 28 times prior to this weekend's series
• The Chaps are 1-2 at Hays Field, but were 18-4 at the friendly confines last season
• ASU re-started its baseball program in 2005 and has reached the D-II College World Series three times
• Chaps were picked third in the LSC preseason poll, while the Rams were picked to repeat as champions
• LCU reliever Koi Carrillo has already made six pitching appearances this season, which is first in the LSC
• The Chaps have stolen 15 bases already, which is more than half of their 2019 total
• ASU leads the nation in batting average (.401), home runs per game (1.7) and WHIP (1.21)
• Lubbock Christian has drawn 46 walks this season, which ranks No. 40 nationally
 
JUST ONE
Through the first 10 games of the 2020 season, Lubbock Christian has already played four games decided by just one run. Three of those games were this past weekend. The Chaps are 1-3 in those games, with all three losses coming against Texas A&M-Kingsville, including a pair of walkoff 2-1 losses to the Javelinas. LCU's only win in a one-run game this year was by a score of 2-1 in the series finale against St. Mary's on February 9. Last season, LCU was 6-6 in one-run games, but they had a winning record at 8-4 in one-run games during the 2018 season.  
 
RHYMIN' AND STEALIN'
With 15 stolen bases through 10 games, LCU already has half of their season total from a year ago when they swiped just 28 bags in 36 attempts. The Chaps are currently on pace to steal 75 bases on exactly 100 attempts, which would be the most by an LCU team in the last 10 years. The last time the Chaps stole more than 75 bases was 2008, when they stole 84 bases on 107 attempts. The most bases ever stolen under head coach Nathan Blackwood is 111 during the 2005 season. Texas A&M-Kingsville is currently the Lone Star Conference leader with 29 stolen bases on 39 attempts. LCU's team leader is Larry Leitha with five (on six attempts), but Grant Griffin, George Mendazona, AJ Perez and Edgar Hernandez have all swiped multiple bags as well.
 
SETTING THE TABLE
One area where Lubbock Christian has excelled this season is in getting their leadoff batter on base, which they have done almost 40 percent of the time. In 87 leadoff opportunities, the batter has reached base 34 times this year. Four different Chap batters have seen time in the leadoff batter this season, led by Mendazona who has done it four times. Mendazona has reached base in four of his 12 opportunities to lead off an inning, but LCU's best leadoff batter has been Larry Leitha, who has reached base in a ridiculous eight of his 11 chances leading off an inning (.727 OBP).
 
FRIENDLY CONFINES
The Chaps will play games 4-7 of 27 scheduled home games this weekend, which is up from just 22 home games a season ago. They are 1-2 at home so far this season. All of LCU's home games are played at Hays Field. Originally dedicated on April 29, 1978 as Chaparral Stadium, the complex was renamed Hays Field in 1999 to honor the L.D., Pearl, Larry, and Daren Hays families for their dedication and commitment to the ideals and values of Lubbock Christian University. Lubbock Christian has never finished a season with a losing record at home and is 1,106-319 in their own ballpark all-time.  AJ Perez (4-14, .286 as leadoff) and Gavy Perez-Torres (3-7, .429 as leadoff) have also seen time in the one-hole.
 
NEW-LOOK CHAPS
Of the 71 hits LCU's offense has collected so far this season, a whopping 77.5 percent (55) have come from players who were not on the team a season ago, as the Chaps lost all nine of their starting position players from the 2019 roster. Furthermore, 57 and two thirds of the 84 and a third innings pitched (68 percent) this season have come from hurlers who did not throw for LCU last year. Ty Stephenson has been the most used pitcher, throwing 17.2 innings across three starts with a 3.06 ERA. Leitha has the top on-base percentage of any newcomer (at least five at-bats) at .432.
 
HOMEGROWN PRODUCTS
Of the 37 players on the 2020 Lubbock Christian roster, more than one fourth (10) played their high school baseball in Lubbock. Six played right across the street from Hays Field at Lubbock Christian High School, as well as one from Frenship, one from Cooper, one from Coronado and one from Lubbock High. There are another two from the immediate surrounding area, playing their prep ball in New Deal and Shallowater.
 
SCOUTING THE RAMS

• Angelo State re-started its baseball program in 2005 due to support from students and community. Head coach Kevin Brooks has led the program since its inception
• ASU is ranked No. 1 in both the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association and Perfect Game USA Division II polls. It is the first No. 1 national ranking in program history
• The Rams lead the nation in on-base percentage (.518), runs scored (129) and slugging percentage (.696), while ranking in the top five nationally in another nine categories
• Outfielder Josh Elvir leads the Angelo State offense, batting .531 with a 1.156 slugging percentage and five home runs. Elvir is the national leader in runs scored with 20 and was named to the Preseason Watch List for the Golden Spikes Award, which is given to the top amateur baseball player in the United States
• Junior infielder Parker Bramlett is the reigning LSC Hitter of the Week, having hit .611 with 10 RBI, six extra-base hits and eight runs scored. The Tyler native ranks No. 4 nationally and leads the conference with 20 hits

 
THE SERIES WITH ASU
Lubbock Christian and Angelo State first met during the 2010 season, with the two teams splitting a four-game series. In 2013, LCU's final year in the NAIA, the teams began meeting annually for a three-game series, alternating between Lubbock and San Angelo. The Rams lead the all-time series 16 games to 12 but have never won a series in Lubbock. Angelo State has twice ended the Chap season, beating them in the South Central Regional in both 2017 and 2019.