LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (1-1) vs.
ARKANSAS TECH (0-2)
Sunday, January 31 – 10 a.m.
Minute Maid Park – Houston, Texas
 
LEADING OFF
It's the home of the MLB's Houston Astros, but on Sunday Lubbock Christian University's baseball team will be the home team as they take on Arkansas Tech on the last day of the Houston Winter Invitational at Minute Maid Park. LCU got their first win of the season on Saturday, using three home runs and 11 strikeouts to take down conference foe Arkansas-Fort Smith 9-3 in a non-conference matchup. The Wonderboys are winless on the weekend after a 10-3 loss on Friday to St. Mary's and a 5-3 loss against Central Missouri Saturday.
 
STARTING PITCHING MATCHUP
LCU – It'll be the righty sophomore Tyler Hardwick on the mound for the Chaps, making his first appearance in a Lubbock Christian uniform. A New Mexico native, Hardwick transferred to LCU after two seasons (one shortened due to COVID) at the New Mexico Military Institute. During the 2020 season, Hardwick made four starts and two appearances out of the bullpen, allowing 23 earned runs in 24 innings while striking out 19 batters. He has a background with LCU pitching coach Jermaine Van Buren, who was his pitching coach at NMMI during his freshman season when he had a 3.20 ERA in 70.1 innings on the mound.
 
ATU  – The Wonderboys have used eight different pitchers already this weekend, with Armando Romero and Riyan Rodriguez starting the first two games. Candidates for Sunday's start include Hayes Cox and Zach Strickland. Both are right-handers and have experience starting, with Cox starting six times in 2020 and Strickland starting twice. Neither have pitched so far this weekend. Cox had a 5.14 ERA in 28.0 innings while racking up 30 strikeouts. Strickland appeared more often out of the bullpen, allowing nine earned runs in 12 innings of work.
 
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
.156 | Lubbock Christian pitchers have limited right-handed batters to just seven hits in 45 at-bats (.156 BA), but have allowed the same amount of hits in just 18 at-bats against left-handed hitters.
16 | With three home runs on Saturday, Lubbock Christian has now hit five already this season. In 2020, the Chaps did not hit their fifth home run until the 16^th game of the season, which came on Feb. 29.
.200 | The Wonderboys have collected just 13 hits in 65 at-bats through their first two games, hitting .200 as a team. They also only have six walks for a team on-base percentage of .293.
11 | LCU pitchers combined for 11 strikeouts in Saturday's win, which was their most since recording 12 on Feb. 1, 2020 in a 7-4 win at St. Edward's.
2-2 | A pair of Chaparrals have homered in each of the first two games, with Nolan Machibroda and Cayde Ward both finding the left field seats twice.