SAN ANGELO, Texas (March 4, 2022) – Lubbock Christian University took an early lead, but still needed a ninth inning comeback to take down Angelo State 9-8 on Friday night at Foster Field.
 
The Chaps (12,3, 10-3 LSC) secured their fifth straight win and moved to 5-0 on the road this season, while stopping the Rams' (13-4, 13-4) five-game win streak.
 
Eduardo Acosta set the tone of the game in the first at-bat, drilling a home run to left field of Ram starting pitcher Benjamin Elder. The Chaps continued to pour on the offense early, getting a walk from Edgar Hernandez, a triple from Luis Navarro and a sacrifice fly from Mason Donohoe, putting LCU on top 3-0.
 
Ethan Coombes got the Friday night start for Lubbock Christian and worked a scoreless first frame before the Rams got on the board with a solo home run. LCU got the run back when Larry Leitha hit his own solo home run in the top of the fourth, and they scored one more to go up 5-1.
 
It was Angelo State's turn to come back first, and they started the process in the bottom of the fifth. They plated three runs in the frame, chasing Coombes from the game for Peyton Hutson.
 
Elder had settled in by the middle of the game and struck out the side in the sixth, allowing his offense to complete the comeback in the bottom of the frame. Hutson nearly escaped the jam wit no runs allowed when he got a ground ball to first base with two outs, but the umpires called Justin Lee safe by a step, to score the tying run. Austin Beck followed with a single to put the Rams on top 6-5.
 
The score stayed there until the top of the ninth, when Angelo State brought in their closer, Carson Childers. Childers struck out the first batter he faced, but then hit Caden Hensley and gave up a single to Acosta. Hernandez came through in the clutch and put the Chaps on top with a single to right field. A throwing error allowed both baserunners to come home, although Hernandez was thrown out at third.
 
Lubbock Christian added two important insurance runs later in the inning, as Navarro singled and Jarred Gibson followed up by crushing a home run to left center.
 
LCU also went to their closer, in the ninth in Cannon Davis. He hit the first batter he faced and gave up a double to start the inning, giving the Rams a chance. ASU plated both runners with groundouts, and Davis ended the game with the Chaps still ahead by inducing a fly out from Jordan Williams.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
.800 | Eduardo Acosta was 3-4 against ASU starter Benjamin Elder, who is left-handed. This season, Acosta has an OBP of .800 with two doubles and four home runs against lefty pitchers
5 | LCU's five-game win streak matches their longest of the season
12 | Angelo State hit just .176 with runners in scoring position (3-17) stranding 12 runners in the game
 
NEXT UP
Lubbock Christian can go for a series win on Saturday, as they take on the Rams in a pair of seven inning games starting at 4 p.m.