Baseball | 04.09.2022

LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (26-11, 24-11, LSC) vs.
EASTERN NEW MEXICO (15-20, 14-19 LSC)
Sunday, April 10 – 1 p.m.
Hays Field – Lubbock, Texas
 
LEADING OFF
It was a wild Saturday at Hays Field and not always in good way for Lubbock Christian. The Chaps started the day strong with a 20-2 win to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the series, but Eastern New Mexico returned the favor with a 16-1 win in the nightcap. LCU has now split the doubleheader in three straight weekends. The last two weekends though, they have also lost the series finale, so they will try and buck that trend and win Sunday against the Greyhounds.
 
STARTING PITCHING MATCHUP
LCU – It will be Ty Stephenson on the mound to start for the Chaps in the finale. The right-hander has an ERA of 6.15 and a 0-2 record in eight starts. In 33.2 innings of work, he has allowed 23 earned runs on 41 hits and 16 walks with 24 strikeouts. He has held opponents to a .287 batting average and allowed just 11 extra-base hits. Stephenson's best outing of the year came two weeks ago at Hays Field against St. Edward's, when he pitched 7.1 innings, allowing one run on four hits and two walks with seven strikeouts.
 
ENMU – The Greyhounds will send their best to the mound as they try and split the series, with Dalton Thatcher bringing his 3.09 ERA to Hays Field. It is the best mark on the ENMU squad. This will be only his fifth start to go along with five more relief appearances, and he is 2-3 in that time. He has allowed just 12 earned runs but 25 runs overall. Opponents are hitting .280 against him with 42 total hits, 12 walks and 18 strikeouts. He is also second on the team with five home runs allowed. Last week against St. Mary's, Thatcher struggled through 3.1 innings, giving up seven runs, but only six of them were earned.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
.8 | Chap starter Stephenson is a ground ball pitcher, inducing 41 groundouts to 31 flyouts for a 0.8 ratio
29 | LCU turned another two double plays on Saturday, bringing their season total to 29, which is the second-most in the Lone Star Conference
57 | Oklahoma Christian has moved into second place in the Lone Star Conference in home runs with 39, but the Chaps are still nearly 20 ahead in that category with 57
.386 | With three hits in six at-bats on Saturday, Mason Donohoe has become the team-leader in batting average at .386, and he ranks fourth in the league in that category
4.76 | Stephenson has been better at home this season, posting a 4.76 ERA in 17.0 innings of work at Hays Field. Opponents are hitting .239 against the right-hander at the friendly confines