FORT SMITH, Ark. - Lubbock Christian took the first two games of the series against Arkansas Fort Smith on Thursday, Feb. 23, winning the first game 3-0 before knocking off the Lions 9-8 in 15 innings in game two.

GAME ONE – Lubbock Christian 3, UAFS 0 – Seven Innings
Aydan Alger tossed a complete game gem, shutting down the Lions as LCU took the first game of the series by a score of 3-0.

Carson Ogilvie started the game with a leadoff double, moving to second later in the top of the first after Eduardo Acosta drew a one-out walk. Nate Van Maanen brought home the first run of the ballgame, as his RBI single scored Ogilvie to give the Chaps (8-5, 8-5 LSC) a 1-0 lead. A passed ball later in the inning scored Acosta from third, and the Chaparrals found themselves ahead 2-0 after the top of the first.

Arkansas Fort Smith (5-6, 3-6 LSC) was quiet on offense until the bottom of the third inning, when Brandon Ulmer got the first hit of the day for the Lions to start the frame. Alger struck out the next batter, then struck out Kade Brewer, before Jarred Gibson gunned out Ulmer at second as he tried to steal the base to end the inning and keep LCU on top 2-0.

Michael Brinton got the second hit of the day for the Lions in the bottom of the fourth with two outs, but a fly ball to centerfield from Dan Taylor kept UAFS off the board. With two outs in the top of the fifth inning, Ogilvie swelled the lead for the Chaps, as he hit his third home run of the season over the left field wall to push LCU ahead 3-0.

Alger struck out the side in the bottom of the fifth inning, and retired the last 10 batters he faced, going the full seven innings, and preserving the win for the Chaps.

With the win, it is the first time this season that Lubbock Christian has taken game one of a series. LCU had lost the opening game of the weekend in their last three tries.

Ogilvie led the Chaparrals on offense, going 2-for-4 with two runs, a double, and a home run.

Alger (2-1) went all seven innings, striking out nine batters and allowing two hits on just 80 pitches. Alger did not walk a single batter, and faced just one batter over the minimum.

Brayden Johnson (1-2) was handed the loss, also pitching a complete game for the Lions, allowing three runs, two of those being earned, off five hits, walking three and striking out four. Of the five hits he allowed, four were extra base hits, three doubles and a home run.

GAME TWO - Lubbock Christian 9, UAFS 8 - 15 Innings
A sacrifice fly by Sam Shank in the top of the 15th helped Lubbock Christian hold on to take game two over Arkansas Fort Smith 9-8 in 15 innings.

The Lions (5-7, 3-7 LSC) had the first chance to strike in the bottom of the second, but with runners at the corners, Marcos Escalera struck out Blayse Quarnstrom to keep the game scoreless. After a leadoff single by Caden Hensley in the top of the third, Eduardo Acosta brought him home with an RBI single, and Lubbock Christian (9-5, 9-5 LSC) took a 1-0 lead. 

The Chaps added on in the top of the fourth, as a Jarred Gibson double brought home Chris Shull to push the advantage to 2-0. After loading the bases, Carson Ogilvie cleared them with a three-RBI double to left center, and the Chaparrals went up 5-0. Brevin McCool brought Ogilvie in with an RBI double of his own, and Lubbock Christian went up 6-0. 

In the bottom of the fourth, Nico Patrick got Arkansas Fort Smith on the board, as his RBI single scored Dan Taylor to cut the lead to 6-1. The Chaparrals answered in the top of the seventh, as Gibson hit another RBI double to score Nate Van Maanen, putting LCU ahead 7-1. 

Noah Davis reached base with a single for the Lions in the bottom of the seventh, and reached second base after a passed ball. A throwing error from Escalera allowed Davis to score, and UAFS lowered the hole to 7-2. 

In the bottom of the eighth inning, UAFS loaded the bases, and a Matt Schilling two-RBI double made it 7-4. A groundout by Davis later in the inning scored Quarnstro, and an RBI triple from Michael Brinton scored Schilling to cut the LCU lead down to 7-6. Taylor singled in the next at-bat to score Brinton, and the game was tied at seven runs apiece. 

Acosta opened the top of the ninth with a leadoff single, and Shull drew a walk to get on with one-out, but back-to-back strikeouts by Logan Grant kept the Chaps off the board. UAFS went down in order in the bottom of the ninth, and the teams headed to extra innings. 

In the bottom of the tenth, Schilling doubled with one out, but a fielder's choice sat him down at third base. Each team went down in order for the next few innings, with Shull singling in the top of the 12th but finishing the inning stranded at first. 

Acosta took the lead back for the Chaps in the top of the 14th inning, as his solo shot to left field gave LCU an 8-7 lead. Junior Torres leadoff the bottom of the 14th with a double, and Mason Dagley came in to pinch run for Torres. Down to their final strike, Brewer doubled to left field to score Dagley, and the game continued tied at eight.

Bo Hogeboom opened the top of the 15th with a double, and then advanced to third on a wild pitch. With one out in the inning, Shank hit a ball deep enough to the outfield to score Hogeboom from third, and LCU took a 9-8 lead. Daniel Womack sat the three batters for the Lions down in order in the bottom of the 15th, adn Lubbock Christian knocked off UAFS 9-8 in extra innings.
 
The 15-inning ballgame ties the longest game in program history. The Chaps fell to West Texas A&M 7-6 in a 15-inning marathon on Apr. 12, 2016. The Lions and Chaparrals are familiar with long games against each other, as Lubbock Christian played the second-longest game in program history on May 12, 2017, against Arkansas Fort Smith, with UAFS taking a 4-3 win in 14-innings in an elimination game at the Heartland Conference Tournament.

Acosta led the Chaps, going 4-for-8 with two RBI, a home run and a run scored. Gibson went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run. Brinton paced the Lions, going 3-for-7 with an RBI and a run scored.

Josh Akers (1-0) earned the win, going 6.1 innings, allowing one run off three hits, walking two and striking out six. Daniel Womack earned his first career save, going striking out a batter and allowing zero runs or hits in one inning of work. Escalera started the game for the Chaps, going 6.2 innings, giving up two runs, one of those being earned, off six hits, walking four and striking out six. Coleson Abel went 0.2 innings in relief, allowing four runs off two hits and walking a batter. Logan Ellis went 0.1 of an inning out of the pen, allowing one run off two hits. 

Jakob Petross (1-1) was handed the loss, going five innings, giving up two runs off three hits, walking one and striking out five.

With the doubleheader sweep, the Chaps are now 8-2 on Feb. 23 since Nathan Blackwood became head coach in 2003. The day is special because it is Coach Blackwood's birthday, and today was his 50^th birthday.

Lubbock Christian goes for the sweep tomorrow, Feb. 24, as they'll play another doubleheader against the Lions. First pitch is set for 1:00 PM from Crowder Field.