LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (8-15, 7-13 LSC) vs.
WEST TEXAS A&M (23-3, 20-2 LSC)
Saturday, April 3 – 1 p.m.
Hays Field – Lubbock, Texas
 
LEADING OFF
Although they have scored more than five runs in each of the games, Lubbock Christian University has dropped the first two games of the series to No. 6 West Texas A&M, losing 12-11 and 9-6. The Chaps have one more chance to steal a win from the Lone Star Conference leading Buffs, hosting them for one final time at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Hays Field. Pitching will be key in the matchup, as WT has hit .380 through the first two games.
 
STARTING PITCHING MATCHUP
LCU – Left-handed pitcher Armando Valle will get the nod for the Chaps in the series finale, going to the mound for his team-leading eighth start this year. Tall and lanky, Valle comes in with an ERA of 7.59 in 32 innings of work this season. He has allowed 27 earned runs on 35 hits, and his main issue this season has been the walks, which he has 22 of. Valle does have good swing-and-miss stuff though, striking out a team-leading 10.41 batters per nine innings. A lefty, Valle has limited right-handed batters to a .253 batting average against him. He leans slightly more on the fly ball than the ground ball, getting 31 outs through the air and 23 on the ground to go along with his 37 Ks.

WT – The Buffs will also send a lefty to the mound for the series finale in the form of Todd Danzeisen, who enters the game with a 2.51 ERA in 28.2 innings of work. The Las Vegas native has played This will be his sixth appearance of the season and his fifth start. He has allowed 19 hits in his time on the mound and walked just eight batters. Opponents are hitting a measly .186 against him. In his last outing, Danzeisen went five innings against St. Mary's, allowing no runs on three hits with four strikeouts.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
13 | West Texas A&M enters Saturday riding a 13-game winning streak. They last lost in the series-opener against UT Tyler on March 5
.304 | Both teams have done a good job of driving in runs during the series. LCU is hitting .304 with RISP, while WT is hitting .316
26 | George Mendazona and Mason Donohoe both homered on Friday, bringing LCU's home run total to 26, which is the second-most in the LSC
14 | With a single in yesterday's game Chap catcher Luis Navarro has now hit in 14 straight games
.397 | Chap batters are reaching base at a .397 clip to lead off innings this year, including a .389 OBP in this series