LUBBOCK, Texas (February 25, 2022) – It was 33 degrees at the time of first pitch and the sun was only shining for the final inning, but Lubbock Christian University handled New Mexico Highlands 17-5 on Friday afternoon.
 
The Chaps (10-3, 9-3 LSC) matched their season high in hits, despite enacting the run-rule with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning. LCU scored in all but two frames.
 
That included the first, when they plated their first two runs on a single, three walks and a balk to take an early lead. New Mexico Highlands did not go down easy at first though, and matched the Chaps with two runs in the top of the second. Both runs were unearned, but the second one came on a home run to left field by Cobe Lehman.
 
Lubbock Christian pulled back ahead with an unearned run of their own in the bottom half of the second, but the Cowboys had one more rally in them. NMHU plated four three runs in the top of the third, using a pair of walks and another home run to pull ahead of LCU. The lead held for exactly one inning, as the Chaps stranded the bases loaded in the bottom of the third.
 
In the bottom of the fourth though, LCU took the lead for good. Larry Leitha tripled in the tying run and came around to score the go-ahead run himself on a bunt single by Mason Donohoe. Then Donohoe scored as well when Carson Ogilvie hit a ball up the middle for a hustling double.
 
Eduardo Acosta gave the Chaps an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth with a leadoff home run, but it wasn't until the bottom of the seventh that the Chaps broke the game open. In that frame, they plated four more runs. One came on a single from George Mendazona, but the other three came with Leitha's swing of the bat that sent a ball over the wall in left center.
 
In the bottom of the eighth, Sam Shank got his first hit in an LCU uniform in a big spot, singling home two runs. He and Cayde Ward were on base when Leitha came to the plate again and, again, crushed a home run to end the game.
 
Offensive fireworks aside, Peyton Hutson was a huge part of the Chap run-rule chance, as he came in to start the fourth inning and did not allow a run for the remainder of the game. Hutson allowed just three hits in his five innings of work while striking out a career-high eight batters.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
14 | Shank and Ward both collected their first hits of the season in the win, meaning 14 different LCU players have now recorded hits this season
.208 | Hutson lowered his season opponent's batter average to just .208, which is the third-best mark on the team
11 | Leitha started Friday's game slowly with outs in his first two at-bats, but he ended the game 3-6 with seven RBI and 11 total bases
 
NEXT UP
The Chaps will complete the quick two-game series with the Cowboys at 1 p.m. on Saturday at Hays Field.