LUBBOCK, Texas (March 5, 2021) – It had been 362 days since Lubbock Christian University last hosted a baseball game at Hays Field, but the friendly confines weren't quite so friendly as they fell 9-5 to No. 1 Angelo State on Friday night.
 
The five runs were the most the Chaps (3-7, 2-5) have scored in a game since Feb. 6, but they were not enough to top the Rams (10-1, 6-1), who capitalized on LCU's four errors in the game.
 
Three of those Lubbock Christian errors came in the first inning, when Angelo State scored six of their runs. The inning started with a walk issued by Chap starter Tyler Hardwick, but he got the next batter out and induced a ground ball after that. But the high chopper bounced past George Mendazona and into the outfield, plating the first ASU run.
 
The Rams added another run on an infield hit and scored again on another LCU error. Nick Novak had the only hard-hit ball of the inning, driving in a run with a single through the right side, and two more came on the third and final error of the frame.
 
LCU quickly got three of the runs back in the bottom half of the first inning, taking advantage of a couple errors by the ASU defense. Larry Leitha tried to bunt his way on to start the inning and made it all the way to second on a throwing error by ASU pitcher Trent Baker. He quickly scored on a triple to center field by Colin Gordon, and Gordon came in on a groundout from Nolan Machibroda. Luis Navarro was the last Chap runner to cross the plate in the inning scoring on a Mendazona single after walking earlier in the frame.
 
Hardwick sat Angelo State down in order in the second, but the Rams got the three runs back in the third, scoring them all with two outs.
 
The score stayed knotted at 9-3 for the next two innings. Baker settled in for the Rams, and after Hardwick worked one more scoreless frame in the fourth, he was replaced by freshman Owen Woodward, who did not allow a run.
 
Woodward cruised for three innings for three innings, facing the minimum thanks to a pickoff of Josh Elvir after a walk. He ran into some trouble in the top of the eighth, hitting a pair of batters and allowing an infield single to load the bases with two outs. He got a flyout from Aaron Walters to end the threat though.
 
LCU's offense had some other chances throughout the remainder of the game. They put two runners on with no outs in the seventh but were unable to score. They did add two runs in the ninth though. Navarro and Mason Donohoe walked, and Trevor Andrus got an infield single to load the bases. Eduardo Acosta drove two of them in with a single up the middle, but ASU reliever Jake Rogers got a lineout from Jaxon Shirley to end the rally.
 
Leitha tried to spark a rally again in the ninth by leading off with a bunt single, but Rogers got the next three batters out to win the game for the Rams.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
8 | Both Lubbock Christian and Angelo State left eight runners on base in the series-opener. The Chaps are hitting .270 with runners on base this year
26 | Chap shortstop Colin Gordon had a triple and a double in the game, increasing his season mark of total bases to 26
0.00 | Woodward once again pitched without allowing an earned run, giving him an ERA of 0.00 in 10 and two thirds innings of work this season
.429 | LCU had six hits in 14 at-bats with two outs in the loss, batting .429 in those situations
.386 | Chap leadoff batters reached three times in the game and are getting on base at a .386 clip so far this season
 
NEXT UP
Lubbock Christian will get another shot at Angelo State, taking on the Rams at 2 p.m. on Saturday at Hays Field.