KINGSVILLE, Texas (March 17, 2022) – Lubbock Christian University used a couple of late runs and a shutdown bullpen outing in the ninth by Peyton Hutson to close out a 9-7 win in a wild series-opener Thursday at Nolan Ryan Field.
 
The Chaps (18-5, 16-5) trailed early, took the lead, let the Javelinas (16-7, 14-7 LSC) tie the game in the seventh, and then retook the lead for good in the eighth.
 
A high-scoring game was going to play into the hands of LCU, which came into the series with the second-best batting average and top slugging percentage in the Lone Star Conference, but it did not look as though the Chaps would be scoring a lot early on.
 
Kolby Lunsford started for the Javelinas and was excellent in the early goings. He did not allow a hit through the first four innings, only walking two and having one more reach base via an error. The TAMUK offense gave him a slim lead to work with in the second, as Giancarlo Servin homered to lead off the bottom of the second.
 
Lunsford's luck changed in the top of the fifth though, as Edgar Hernandez walked to start the inning and spark a Chap rally. Hernandez would end up coming to the plate a second time in the frame, by which point LCU had scored five runs. Carson Ogilvie and Luis Navarro both doubled in the inning.
 
Texas A&M-Kingsville got two of the runs back in the bottom of the fifth, chasing Chap starter Tyler Hardwick from the game for Cannon Davis, who closed out the inning with a popup.
 
LCU added two more runs in the sixth, as Ogilvie reached on an error and scored on an Eduardo Acosta triple, followed by Acosta scoring on a George Mendazona sac fly.
 
Davis got through a shaky sixth unscathed but the Javelinas came storming back in the seventh. With one out, three straight TAMUK batters drew walks, and a groundout scored one run. Colton Brown came in for Davis, but he gave up a double and a single to tie the game before a strikeout finally ended the rally.
 
LCU retook the lead in the eighth though, thanks to a pair of errors by the Javelina center fielder. He dropped two straight fly balls with two outs, first allowing Acosta to reach and get to second, and then to score.
 
Larry Leitha walked to lead off the ninth, and Mason Donohoe and Jarred Gibson followed with singles to score an insurance run, but the Chaps would do no further damage.
 
Brown came back out to start the ninth, but walked the first batter he faced, so LCU brought in Peyton Hutson from the bullpen. Hutson needed just eight pitches to get his three outs and end the game.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
9 | LCU pitchers allowed just six hits on the night, but issued nine free passes, which is tied for the second-most in a single game this season
.167 | Texas A&M-Kingsville was 3-18 hitting with runners on base against the Chaps for a .167 batting average
23 | With a single and two walks, Jarred Gibson has still reached base in every single game this season
 
NEXT UP
Lubbock Christian will play the doubleheader portion of the series on Friday, with first pitch of the first game scheduled for 2 p.m.