CANYON, Texas (April 3, 2022) – No. 19 Lubbock Christian University got on the board first and played a tight game early with No. 5 West Texas A&M, but the home team pulled away late for a 12-4 win and a split in the series.
 
The Chaps (24-10, 22-10 LSC) collected 11 hits and had baserunners in every inning, but the Buffs (27-7, 25-7) scored in seven of their eight trips to the plate, including multiple runs in the seventh and eighth when they pulled away.
 
Isaac Keehn started for WT and the Chaps got to him early, plating three runs in the first, all with two outs. Larry Leitha was hit by a pitch to start the rally and scored when Mason Donohoe singled and the left fielder committed a two-base error. Donohoe then came in to score on a Jarred Gibson homer to put the Chaps on top early.
 
Donohoe led the LCU offense in the series finale, collecting four hits in five trips to the plate out of the four spot in the lineup. His batting average is now all the way up to .374, which is the second-best mark on the team.
 
It took West Texas A&M three frames to tie the game back up, as the scored one run apiece in the first, second and third while Lubbock Christian went scoreless in the latter two innings. LCU briefly retook the lead in the fourth, as Cayde Ward singled to lead off and ended up coming around to score on an RBI groundout from Caden Hensley.
 
Chap starter Ty Stephenson was still working in the fourth and executed the shutdown inning perfectly in the fourth, but the Buffs got to him for a single and a double in the fifth to tie the game again.
 
In the sixth, Cannon Davis came on in relief and allowed a leadoff home run from Will Feunning that gave WT its first lead of the day. They would not end up relinquishing it the rest of the way.
 
Lubbock Christian's last chance at tying the game or even taking the lead came in the top of the seventh. After the first out was recorded, the Chaps got three straight singles from George Mendazona, Leitha and Donohoe to load the bases with just one out, but Colton Charnholm was able to settle down and get back-to-back strikeouts to end the threat.
 
All nine Buffs batted in the bottom of the seventh as they plated four runs to pull way ahead, and the scored three more in the bottom of the eighth to get to their total of 12.
 
LCU needed a miracle comeback in the ninth and actually put two on with two outs, but a groundout ended the game.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
.318 | Lubbock Christian collected 43 hits on the weekend and hit .318 as a team against West Texas A&M's pitching staff
52 | Even with the wind blowing straight in for two of the weekend's games, LCU clubbed seven homers against the Buffs, increasing their season total to 52. That number is 20 more than St. Edward's, who has the second-most in the Lone Star Conference
.188 | WT's Austin Becker came into the weekend with a .446 batting average, but the Chaps held him to a .188 clip (3-16) in the series
6.15 | Stephenson allowed three earned runs in his 5.0 innings of work, lowering his season ERA to 6.15
 
NEXT UP
Lubbock Christian will continue Lone Star Conference play, hosting Eastern New Mexico at Hays Field April 8-10.