LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (6-2, 6-2 LSC) vs.
ST. MARY'S (3-3, 1-3 LSC)
Saturday, Feb. 19 – 2 p.m. (DH)
Hays Field – Lubbock, Texas
 
LEADING OFF
For the second weekend in a row, Lubbock Christian University won the series-opener and can go for a win with a sweep of the doubleheader on Saturday. The Chaparrals have now been winners in five straight games. After doing it with their pitching all throughout the Oklahoma Christian series, LCU did with their bats on Friday night, collecting 11 hit and six walks and coming back from three different deficits. They hit .324 in the opening game against the Rattlers, including .350 with runners in scoring position.
 
STARTING PITCHING MATCHUP
Game One
LCU – Shandon Herrera has moved into the game two starter role for this week and will get the start to begin the day's doubleheader. A fifth-year senior at LCU, Herrera has started off his final season in the Chaparral uniform in style. He has allowed just two earned runs in 13.0 innings of work, holding opponents to a .191 average. The Odessa native has scattered nine hits and walked five batters while striking out 11. In his last outing, he pitched one of the doubleheader games against Oklahoma Christian and threw a complete-game, fanning seven and allowing just one run over seven innings.
 
StMU – It will definitely be a right-hander for the Rattlers in game two, after lefty Anthony Chavez started the series opener. Most likely, it will be Mason Minister, who brings in a 0.00 ERA in 4.0 innings pitched. Also a fifth-year senior, Minister has pitched only once so far this season, starting against Oklahoma Christian in the only game from that series that the Rattlers won. He gave up just four hits in the outing while walking one and striking out five. Minister did not appear last week in StMU's two games at the Houston Winter Invitational.
 
Game Two
LCU – With the flip of the doubleheader starters, the Chaps are now sending Ty Stephenson to the mound in the nightcap. Stephenson, who was injured most of last season, has returned to the mound and pitched twice this year. He has a 6.43 ERA in 7.0 innings of work. He has allowed 12 hits, while walking three batters and striking out six. He started game two against Oklahoma Christian and allowed five runs (three earned) on six hits and two walks.
 
StMU – A lefty will go to the mound again for St. Mary's in the second game of the doubleheader, meaning it is either Dylan Bells. Both southpaws have appeared twice this season. Bells is the reigning LSC Pitcher of the week and is more likely, as he has started twice already this year. He has a 2.00 ERA in 9.0 innings of work. Opponents are hitting .278 against him, and he has walked just one batter while striking out 11. Bradford started one of the games against Oklahoma Christian, but lasted only 1.2 innings, allowing six runs on five hits and two walks in that time. He is also an outfielder for the team and is second on the squad with a .300 batting average.
 
2000 AND COUNTING
Since the inception of LCU's baseball program in 1971, the Chaparrals have been one of the best baseball teams at whatever level they were playing. Lubbock Christian has played 3,245 games throughout all those years, posting an overall program record of 2,174 wins and 1,071 losses in that time. For the last 18 seasons, it has been head coach Nathan Blackwood leading the program, and he has a 695-312 record in that time. He is tied with former head coach Larry Hays for the most wins in program history and can pass him for the school record with one more.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
5 | LCU has won five straight games, matching their longest win streak of the 2021 season. They won five straight last year with a sweep of ENMU and wins in the first two games against Cameron April 9-17
47 | Chap catcher/first basemen Luis Navarro has reached base in 47 straight games, dating back to last season. The streak began on March 5 against Angelo State, when he had a single and two walks
9 | Jarred Gibson and Eduardo Acosta kept their streaks alive as well on Friday night, as they are the only two LCU players with hits in all nine games this season