LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (7-10, 6-8 LSC) vs.
TEXAS A&M-KINGSVILLE (10-4, 10-4 LSC)
Sunday, March 21 – 1 p.m.
Hays Field – Lubbock, Texas
 
LEADING OFF
After a wild, back-and-forth game two that ended in the favor of Texas A&M-Kingsville in 11 innings, Lubbock Christian University will face them on Sunday in a decisive game three at Hays Field. It's been a tight series so far with not much offense by either team. The Chaps are looking to win their second-straight series and their third of the year overall, while the Javelinas will by trying to avoid losing their first series in 2021.
 
STARTING PITCHING MATCHUP
LCU – Making his sixth start of the year will be Armando Valle, who comes into Sunday's game with an ERA of 6.85 in 23 and two thirds inning of work. The 6'4 left-hander has allowed 18 runs on only 20 hits in his time on the mound, but has struggled with control, walking 16 batters as well. He does lead the team in strikeouts though, whiffing 27 batters on the year. Opponents are hitting .235 off of him. Valle does have prior success against the Javelinas, having pitched against them in 2020. In that game he went six innings, allowing just one run on four hits and four walks while striking out five TAMUK batters. Valle is much more of a fly ball pitcher, with 26 fly outs to 13 ground outs this year.
 
TAMUK – Kolby Lunsford is the likely candidate to take the mound for the Javelinas, making his fifth appearance and fourth start of the year. The Helotes, Texas native has been good so far this season, posting an ERA of 2.08 in 21 and two thirds innings of work. He has allowed only five earned runs on 19 hits and has yet to walk a batter this season. Opponents are hitting .224 off of him and he has struck out 23 batters. He was dominant in his last outing against St. Mary's, keeping the Rattlers scoreless and with only five hits in six innings of work.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
3/8 | Texas A&M-Kingsville has not lost a series this year, making their last series loss against St. Mary's in 2020 before the season was cut short. They dropped three of the four games to the Rattlers, including the finale 6-5 on March 8
.321 | While the Javelinas are out-hitting the Chaps .250 to .239 overall so far this series, LCU has a .321 batting average with runners on base to TAMUK's .194
12 | Chap catcher Luis Navarro caught three runners stealing in Saturday game and had one more on Friday night. He leads the Lone Star Conference in that category with 12
.333 | Lubbock Christian has hit .333 (9-27) with two outs in this series and driven in seven two-out runs
7 | LCU second basemen Caden Hensley leads the team with a .571 batting average and seven total bases against the Javelinas, raising his season batting average to .238