FORT SMITH, Arkansas (February 5, 2021) – The Lubbock Christian University baseball team split Friday's conference-opening doubleheader with Arkansas-Fort Smith, losing 15-5 before bouncing back with a 12-0 win of their own.
 
Both games ended after seven innings in run-rule fashion, leaving both the Chaps and Lions with 2-3 records heading into Saturday's rubber game. The series finale start time has been moved up to 11 a.m. due to inclement weather in the area.
 
GAME ONE
LCU actually jumped out to an early 2-0 lead over UAFS, scoring runs in the first inning on a Cayde Ward single and a double from George Mendazona, which was his first hit on the young season. Grant Griffin then homered in the second inning, scoring both himself and Luis Navarro, building the Chap lead up to 4-1 for starting pitcher Armando Valle.
 
Valle, who worked magic with nine strikeouts in 4.1 innings against these same Lions less than a week ago, was unable to repeat the performance. He had just one strikeout in the game, along with four walks and a hit-by-pitch.
 
The Lions got to Valle for a second run in the third inning, and then started the fourth inning with a hit-by-pitch and a double, leading the Chaps to bring in reliever Cannon Davis. Davis was unable to slow the UAFS offense either, and they took a 5-4 lead before he induced a pop-out to end the inning.
 
Davis gave up a second run in the fifth inning, and the Chaps brought in Peyton Hutson. LCU got the run back in the top of the sixth on a double from Griffin, but the bottom of the sixth is when the Lions began to pile on.
 
UAFS scored three runs in the sixth before adding six more in the bottom of the seventh. A two-run double by Morgan Crenshaw put the Lions up by 10 and ended the game.
 
GAME TWO
The Chaps got on the board early again, this time scoring five runs before two outs were recorded. Colin Gordon did part of the work, blasting a home run to score himself and Eduardo Acosta. Then LCU loaded the bases and Navarro doubled to clear them, building Ty Stephenson a substantial lead before he even took the mound for the first time this season.
 
Stephenson was excellent in his season debut, pitching a complete-game shutout with seven strikeouts. He allowed just five baserunners on two hits, one walk and two hit-by-pitches, and no Lion ever made it as far as third base.
 
UAFS, on the other hand, replaced their starting pitcher Brayden Johnson after just 2.1 innings, with a Navarro two-run home run chasing him from the game. LCU added a run in the eighth to go up 8-0 and Griffin doubled home Mason Donohoe in the fifth to push the lead to 9-0.
 
The last three Chap runs came in the top of the sixth, as Nolan Machibroda singled to lead off, Ward followed with a walk, and George Mendazona blasted a home run to score all three of them. Arkansas-Fort Smith was unable to score in their next two innings and the game ended after the seventh.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
10 | Lubbock Christian hit four home runs in Friday's two games, giving them 10 for the season. Last season, they hit 10 home runs in all 24 games they played.
.714 | Five different Chaps hit better than .500 on the day, led by Luis Navarro, who went 5-for-7 with five RBI and three runs scored.
12 | LCU's 12 run were their most in a single-game since April 27, 2019 when they also run-ruled Rogers State 12-0.
0 | The 4/27/19 win against Rogers State was also the last time Lubbock Christian shut out an opponent, as Ricky Contreras, Brennen Fowler, Nathan Dockery and Logan McCrummen combined to blank the Hillcats.
9 | Navarro, Grant Griffin and Colin Gordon all tied for the team lead on the day with nine total bases. The three combined for five doubles and three home runs.
 
NEXT UP
Saturday's series finale against UAFS will begin at 11 a.m. at Crowder Field.