LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (24-10, 22-10, LSC) vs.
EASTERN NEW MEXICO (14-17), 15-18 LSC)
Friday, April 8 – 6 p.m.
Hays Field – Lubbock, Texas
 
LEADING OFF
Lubbock Christian University returns home this weekend to take on Eastern New Mexico in four games at Hays Field. The Chaps are coming off a second-straight series split, this time at West Texas A&M, who is tied for first in the league with Angelo State, another team LCU split with. LCU is is third place in the league themselves with just a month left in the regular season but needs to keep winning to hold off Texas A&M-Kingsville, who is in fourth, just one game back of the Chaps. The Greyhounds won their series last week, taking three of four against St. Mary's. They have already won more games this season than they did all of last season.
 
THE CHAPARRAL NINE

• The Chaps have won the series opener in eight of their nine chances so far this season
• Larry Leitha's 11 home runs lead the conference and are the 27th-most nationally
• ENMU is hitting .263 as a team, which is the second-worst mark in the LSC, ahead of only OC
• LCU remained in the national rankings at No. 23 in the NCBWA top-25 poll
• Greyhound OF Cooper Hamilton leads the league in triples with seven
• Lubbock Christian has the second-best LSC batting average (.330) and leads in slugging (.558)
• Shandon Herrera tossed his third complete game of the season, which is tied for most in the LSC
• LCU is 22-10 with a .688 winning percentage in conference play

 
FIRST THINGS FIRST
Lubbock Christian has been excellent this season at getting on the board early and getting ahead of their opponents. The Chaps have scored 33 first inning runs this season and given up only 12. LCU hitters are batting an even .300 in the initial frame with six doubles, one triple and eight home runs. George Mendazona leads the team with three first inning bombs and usually bats in the No. 2 spot in the lineup. LCU hitters have also walked 16 times in the first inning for a .384 on-base percentage. The Chaps are 11-4 when scoring in the first inning and 17-4 when scoring first overall.
 
AWARD CENTRAL
For the second time this season, a Lubbock Christian player has earned the Lone Star Conference Hitter of the Week award. This time around it was Carson Ogilvie recognized by the league after an impressive week at the plate against West Texas A&M. The sophomore hit .583 and reached base at a .688 clip, picking up three walks and earning a hit-by-pitch. The LCU shortstop extended his team's lead to five runs in the pivotal first game of the series with an RBI single and registered the first run of the game in LCU's game three win.
 
DOUBLE TROUBLE
In LCU's series-opening win against the Buffs last week, the infield turned five double plays, which matched the program record. Only three other times in school history have the Chaps turned five double plays in one game. Two more twin killings came throughout the rest of the series, giving them 25 on the year, which is tied for the third-most in the Lone Star Conference. In 2021, Lubbock Christian turned 42 double plays during the year, which was tied for the most in the league. The Chap pitching staff does lean much more heavily on the groundout, with 297 this season comparted to just 210 flyouts. The middle infield has featured Caden Hensley at second for every single game and Ogilvie at shortstop for all but three contests.
 
I'VE GOT THE POWER
Lubbock Christian heads into the series with Eastern New Mexico with a .558 slugging percentage that leads the LSC and ranks No. 11 nationally. They Chaps have 134 extra-base hits this year, including 71 doubles, 11 triples and 52 home runs. The 52 dingers are the 10^th-most in all of Division II and lead the LSC by a margin of 20. St. Edward's is the next-closest in the league with 32. Center fielder Larry Leitha leads the team in slugging with a .744 mark that is second in the LSC. He is also the conference leader in home runs with 11. Catcher Luis Navarro is not far behind with a .711 slugging percentage and eight homers, and another 11 LCU players have left the yard at least once this season.
 
BIG LEAGUE CONNECTION
Professional baseball is finally getting its start this weekend with Major League Baseball Opening Day on Thursday. Minor league baseball is still a little way away from opening but the Chaps will have several representatives in the professional ranks. Former Chaps Chandler Casey, Hill Alexander and Andrew Pratt are still in the minor league organizations of the teams that drafted them, but none have been assigned to a specific level yet. Alexander had the best 2021 season of the three, hitting .295 with 18 home runs for Charleston and Bowling Green. LCU also has a pair of coaching representatives in the minor league ranks. Former shortstop Buck Britton is still managing in the Baltimore Orioles organization and has been moved up to take over triple-A Norfolk this year. Former catcher Wigberto Nevarez is a coach with the Gwinnett Stripers of the Atlanta Braves organization.
 
STREAKS AND MULTIS
Mendazona heads into the weekend series with the longest hitting streak (eight games) and reached base streak (10 games). Mason Donohoe has the only other reached base streak longer than five games with eight straight, and Ogilvie has the second-longest hitting streak at four games. Navarro still leads the team in both multi-hit games (15) and multi-RBI games (11).
 
FRIENDLY CONFINES
Lubbock Christian has played 16 of their 24-game home slate for the 2022 season heading into this weekend's games. Originally dedicated on April 29, 1978 as Chaparral Stadium, the complex was renamed Hays Field in 1999 to honor the L.D., Pearl, Larry, and Daren Hays families for their dedication and commitment to the ideals and values of Lubbock Christian University. The playing dimensions of Hays Field measure 340 feet down the lines, 380 feet to the power alleys, and 400 feet to straight away center. LCU is 13-5 on their home turf this year, and the program is 1,130-342 in home games all-time. Donohoe and Mendazona are both hitting above .450 at home this season, and Donohoe is slugging a ridiculous .822 at the friendly confines.
 
2000 AND COUNTING
Since the inception of LCU's baseball program in 1971, the Chaparrals have been one of the best baseball teams at whatever level they were playing. Lubbock Christian has played 3,265 games throughout all those years, posting an overall program record of 2,191 wins and 1,079 losses in that time. For the last 18 seasons, it has been head coach Nathan Blackwood leading the program, and he has a 712-320 record in that time.
 
SCOUTING THE GREYHOUNDS

• Besides St. Mary's last week, ENMU also has series wins against UT Permian Basin and UT Tyler this season
• Opponents are hitting .307 against the Greyhound pitching staff, which is the fifth-highest mar in the conference. The have a team ERA of 7.07
• Outfielder Spencer Roach leads the Eastern New Mexico offense with a .366 batting average, including five doubles, two triples and three home runs
• Due in part to a cavernous home field, the Greyhounds lead the conference and rank No. 3 nationally in triples with 18
• Greyhound hurler Damian Acosta has 59 strikeouts on the year, which is tied for the second-most by any LSC pitcher. He also leads the league in walks though, and has an ERA of 6.29

 
THE SERIES WITH THE GREYHOUNDS
Lubbock Christian has been taking on Eastern New Mexico in baseball pretty much since the former started the baseball program in 1971. LCU and ENMU met four times that season with the Chaps winning three of the games. They have faced off 82 times overall with LCU holding a 61-21 advantage. The Chaps took all three games last season.