CANYON, Texas (April 2, 2022) – Lubbock Christian dropped the first game of Saturday's doubleheader against West Texas A&M 6-3 but bounce back with a 7-3 win in the nightcap, taking a 2-1 lead into the series finale.
 
The win was blowing out at Wilder Park on Saturday, opposite of Friday night's weather, allowing for a little more run-scoring from the Chaps (24-9, 22-9) and the Buffs (26-6, 24-6), but each team got a strong pitching performance on the day as well.
 
GAME ONE
Maddux Hoagland looked like he was in for a long day on the mound as the WT starting pitcher in the first game, as the Chaps jumped on him with solo home runs from George Mendazona and Larry Leitha in the top of the first.
 
The Buffs got to LCU's starter Ethan Coombes in the first as well though, loading the bases for an Austin Becker home run, and Hoagland was able to settle in with the lead. He allowed only one more run in the game, which came on another Leitha solo shot in the fourth, while completing six innings.
 
Coombes only allowed two more runs, but they were enough to give the Buffs the win. A couple of hits and a wild pitch plated one in the second for WT, and they added the final tally in the fourth on a walk, a single and a ground out.
 
Armando Valle came on in relief of Coombes in the fourth after the walk and the single, getting all three outs in the inning. The left-hander went on to close out the game with two more scoreless frames, striking out four batters in the process.
 
GAME TWO
Shandon Herrera started on the mound for the Chaps in the nightcap and gave his team a tough performance to give them the series lead again.
 
For most of the night, Herrera was working with the lead. Both teams went scoreless in the first, but in the top of the second Lubbock Christian batted around and chased Buff starter Jack Eagan from the game before he even recorded an out.
 
Jarred Gibson worked a nine-pitch walk to start the frame and Carson Ogilvie joined him on base when he was hit by a pitch. Edgar Hernandez followed with another walk to load the bases. Caden Hensley put the Chaps on the board with a cue shot double down the left field line, before he and Hernandez scored on a double from Eduardo Acosta.
 
Leitha capped things off with his third homer of the day, giving LCU a six-spot in the second. The Chaparral center fielder has now taken over as the conference leader in round-trippers with 11 this season.
 
LCU added an insurance run in the third when Cayde Ward led off with a double and scored on a two-out single from Hensley. It would end up being the final run of the day, but it was more than enough for Herrera to secure the win.
 
West Texas A&M broke onto the scoreboard in the fourth, first plating an unearned run on a ground ball and then getting two more on a home run. Herrera induced a groundout to first base to end the frame.
 
LCU seemed in good shape to get at least one of the runs back in the top of the fifth, as Hernandez singled and advanced to third on an error with no outs. Hensley was hit by a pitch to follow, and on the next play, there was a controversial call at second, wherein he and the batter Acosta were ruled out and Hernandez was forced to return to third.
 
The lost run ended up not mattering though, as Herrera put together another three scoreless frames, getting a double play to end the game in the seventh.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
25 | With two more double plays on the day, the Chaps have now turned seven in the series and 25 overall, which is tied for the third-most in the LSC
.366 | By beating Eagan in the nightcap, Lubbock Christian improved to 8-0 this year against left-handed starters this season. They are batting .366 against lefties as a team
46.2 | Tossing his third complete game of the season (tied for the LSC lead) Shandon Herrera has now spent 46.2 innings on the mound this season, which is the most on the team
 
NEXT UP
The Chaps will try and win the series on Sunday, as they send Ty Stephenson to the mound in the finale at 1 p.m.