SAN ANTONIO, Texas (February 22, 2021) – Lubbock Christian University clung to a 1-0 lead for much of Monday's matchup with St. Mary's but the Rattlers finally broke through, leading to a 4-1 LCU loss at Dickson Stadium.
 
The Chaps (3-6, 2-4) will have another weekend off now before they finally get to play at home when they host top-ranked Angelo State on March 5 at Hays Field.
 
It almost seems unfair that LCU starting pitcher Armando Valle was tagged with the loss in the game, but then again it has to go to somebody. Valle was dominant for most of the day, allowing just one hit through his first six innings of work while striking out six St. Mary's batters.
 
His offense staked him to an early lead, albeit a small one, thanks to third basemen George Mendazona. The Oregon native came up to the plate with two outs in the second inning and smacked a ball the opposite way, just clearing the left field wall. It was his second home run this season and the fourth of his LCU career.
 
StMU starter Mason Minister settled in some after that and worked quickly through the Chap batting order until the fifth inning, when Mendazona walked and advanced to second on a failed pickoff move. Minister was forced to leave the game after that due to an injury, but his reliever Dylan Bells escaped the small jam.
 
Lubbock Christian had another good chance to increase their lead in the top of the seventh when Eduardo Acosta and Mendazona hit back-to-back one-out singles, putting Acosta at third. Grant Griffin popped up though, and a ground ball from Larry Leitha got Bells out of the inning.
 
Still clinging to his 1-0 lead, Valle went back out for the bottom of the seventh and got two more quick outs before allowing a double and a walk. Cade Acrey then came on in relief, but he allowed a single to drive in the tying run. The 6.2 innings of work set a new career-high for Valle
 
The big blow came next though, when Ryan McGowen blasted a home run over the right field walk, giving the Rattlers the lead.
 
A walk from Nolan Machibroda and a single from Cayde Ward gave the Chaps some life in the top of the eighth, but Parker Rumsey struck out to end the threat.
 
Bells worked around a two-out double by Grant Griffin in the ninth to secure the win and the sweep for St. Mary's.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
.714 | George Mendazona had three hits and two walks in seven plate appearances this weekend, reaching base at a .714 clip
5.14 | Allowing just two runs in 6.2 innings of work, Armando Valle lowered his season ERA by more than two full runs to 5.14
12 | St. Mary's pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts on Monday, including five looking
0-9 | The Chaps did not have a hit in the game Monday with runners in scoring position (0-9) and hit .233 with runners on across the three games
.382 | All four Rattler runs Monday came with two outs, and they hit .382 with two outs in the series