ODESSA, Texas (April 25, 2021) – Although they had runners on the basepaths in nearly every inning, it took until the ninth inning for Lubbock Christian University to really break things open on the way to their 9-5 win on Sunday at Roden Field.
 
LCU's win clinched their third-straight series and improved them to 16-18 on the year, including a 14-16 league record.
 
The only innings that did not feature runners on the bases for the Chaparrals were the second and fourth, but the game was knotted at two until the seventh inning and LCU only lead by a pair of runs until the ninth due to their struggles hitting with runners in scoring position.
 
Lubbock Christian's offensive half of the first gave no indicator of the struggles they would have throughout the day though. The Chaps loaded the bases with their first three batters on an error and two singles, and Mason Donohoe promptly plated two runs with a one-out single.  UTPB starter Spencer Cofer escaped the frame with no further damage though, leaving LCU with just a 2-0 lead.
 
Starting in his hometown of Odessa, Chap starting pitcher Shandon Herrera gave up a first inning and another in the third to tie the game. They would be the only two runs allowed by the righty all day. Herrera ended up as the winning pitcher in the game, moving to 5-2 on the year.
 
The Chaps put runners at second and third in the top of the third and loaded the bases again in both the fifth and sixth innings but were unable to produce runs all three times.
 
Finally, in the top of the seventh, Lubbock Christian was able to plate two runs and take the lead. Larry Leitha led things off with a single, advancing to second on a wild pitch and to third on a sacrifice bunt by Donohoe before coming home on another wild pitch. Caden Hensley was then hit by a pitch and stole second before scoring on a single by Nolan Machibroda.
 
LCU looked to add runs in the eighth, loading the bases for a fourth time, but they again stranded them there.
 
In the ninth, Machibroda walked with one out and Brett Hedges sparked a two-out rally with a single – the first hit of his collegiate career. Luis Navarro drove in both runners with a double. The Falcons then brought in a new pitcher, but the first pitch he threw to Leitha was crushed over the outfield wall for a two-run home run. Hensley had an RBI single in the frame as well, and the Chaps loaded the bases for a fifth time before a strikeout finally brought the inning to a close.
 
Cannon Davis was the reliever for Herrera, coming on in the bottom of the seventh and working a pair of scoreless frames. He came back out in the ninth and was one out away from a three-inning save, but he walked three straight batters and gave up a bases-clearing triple to make the score 9-5. Tyler Hardwick came on and got a swinging strikeout to close out the win.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
18 | Despite scoring nine times, LCU left 18 runners on base in the win, which is the most since they also stranded 18 on May 3, 2021 against Southern Nazarene
.615 | Larry Leitha led Lubbock Christian with a .615 batting average against the Falcons. He had eight hits, including two doubles and two home runs, for 16 total bases
25 | With a first-inning single and a ninth-inning double, Chap catcher Luis Navarro extended his hitting streak to 25 consecutive games. LCU's program-record is a 44-game hit streak set by John Harris in 1974
.245 | For the weekend, the Chaps had 13 hits in 53 at-bats with runners in scoring position for a .245 batting average
10 | LCU batters drew 10 walks in the series finale, which was tied for their most this season. They also drew 10 walks on March 13 against Texas A&M International
 
NEXT UP
The Chaparrals will finish up the regular season with six games at home, beginning April 30 at 6 p.m. as they host UT Tyler.