ODESSA, Texas (April 23, 2021) – A pair of home runs in the top of the first inning jump-started the Lubbock Christian University offense and they continued to apply pressure, eventually defeating UT Permian Basin 16-4 in run-rule fashion Saturday at Roden Field.
 
It was the Chaps' fifth run-rule win of the season and moved them to 15-18 overall and 13-16 in Lone Star Conference play.
 
Larry Leitha and Mason Donohoe had the first-inning blasts, with Leitha driving in three runs and Donohoe driving in a pair to give LCU an early 5-0 lead. LCU added another run in the second when George Mendazona doubled to drive in Edgar Hernandez and scored twice in the fourth on a wild pitch and a ground out, pushing the lead all the way out to 7-0.
 
UT Permian Basin finally broke up the shutout Chap starting pitcher Owen Woodward had going in the bottom of the fourth with a two-run home run and they pushed one more across on a throwing error.
 
LCU reached the double-digit run mark in the fifth. Nolan Machibroda singled to push Grant Griffin to third and then Griffin scored on an error by the left fielder. Mendazona then drove in Machibroda with a sac fly. The sac fly was Mendazona's fifth of the year, which leads the LSC.
 
The Falcons plated their final run of the game in the sixth on a solo home run from Nick Hernandez in the bottom of the sixth.
 
In the seventh, Lubbock Christian's offense responded again, and in a big way. They sent 10 batters to the plate in the frame and scored six times before the Falcons finally got out of it. Hernandez led things off with a walk and came all the way around to score on a pair of wild pitches. Mendazona followed with a walk of his own before three straight singles by Luis Navarro, Leitha and Colin Gordon.
 
Caden Hensley was then hit by a pitch to load the bases and Trevor Andrus drew a walk to push across a run. Back up again, Hernandez singled to drive in the final two runs.
 
Logan Ellis came in to relieve Woodward in the bottom of the seventh and sat the Falcons down in order to close out the win.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
24 | Navarro made it close, but singled in the last inning for his lone hit on the day, although he did walk twice. The Panama native has now hit safely in 24 consecutive games, matching Joe Staley (2010) for the longest hit streak by a Chap in the last 13 years, which is as far back as game-by-game stats are available. Navarro is still well shy of the LCU program record for a hitting streak, which is 44 games, set by John Harris in 1974
.133 | Woodward held the Falcons to just one hit in 10 chances with runners on base and opponents are hitting .133 against him with runners on this year
9 | All nine hitters in the LCU starting lineup recorded a hit and scored a run in the win
35 | LCU's two home runs in the game increased their season total to 35, which is the second-most in the LSC
.411 | The Chaps put their leadoff batter on in five of the seven innings on Saturday and are now reaching base at a .411 clip in leadoff opportunities this season
 
NEXT UP
Lubbock Christian will go for their third-straight series win on Sunday, playing the finale against UT Permian Basin at 1 p.m. at Roden Field.