LUBBOCK, Texas - In a game that featured 32 combined runs and 35 combined hits, Lubbock Christian pulled away late for the 20-12 victory over Cameron to take the series on Sunday, Feb. 5. 

Hunter Smith got the scoring started in a hurry for the Aggies (1-3, 1-3 LSC) blasting a home run over the left field fence on the third pitch of the game to give Cameron a 1-0 lead. The Chaparrals (3-1, 3-1 LSC) answered in the bottom of the first inning, as Eduardo Acosta drew a walk and advanced two bases after a wild pitch and an error, before Nate Van Maanen brought him home with an RBI groundout, tying the game at one run apiece. 

With runners on the corners in the bottom of the second inning, Carson Ogilvie doubled to right center to bring home Jacob Gutierrez and give LCU their first lead of the game. Acosta swelled that lead for the Chaps later in the frame, as his two-RBI single brought home Ogilvie and Jaxson Edwards, giving Lubbock Christian a 4-1 advantage. 

The Aggies loaded the bases in the top of the third inning, and Drew Durst drew a walk from Andrew Duran to score a run and cut the Chap lead in half to 4-2. Holden Tate took the lead back for Cameron with authority, blasting a grand slam over the left field wall to give the advantage back to the Aggies, going up 6-4 with one swing of the bat. 

Both offenses stayed quiet for a bit, before Hayden Blair came in to score in the bottom of the fourth inning for the Chaps after Acosta singled and an error by the outfielder brought in a run for LCU. A pitch went through the wickets of the Cameron catcher, and Acosta scored from third, tying the game at six. After a double and a walk put two men on base for Lubbock Christian, Ryan Ball smashed a home run to right field off of the scoreboard at Hays Field, and his three-run shot gave the lead back to the Chaparrals, going ahead 9-6. 

Tate got one of the runs back for Cameron in the top of the fifth inning, hitting his second home run of the day, a solo shot that just snuck over the right field wall, cutting the Chap lead to 9-7. Ogilvie answered in the bottom of the fifth frame with a solo dinger of his own, this one to left field, and LCU took the run back, going up 10-7. Another single for Acosta brought home Blair, and an RBI single from Chris Shull brought in Acosta and the Chaps extended the lead to 12-7.

Cameron found themselves in favorable position once again in the top of the sixth, as an RBI single by Lance Barnett scored another run for the Aggies. A wild pitch brought home Beau Williams, and then Tate came through with another RBI, despite being gunned out by Shull trying to pick up a double. Tate brought home Barnett, and the LCU lead was lowered to 12-10.

Again, it was Acosta bringing the offense for the Chaps, bringing home Gutierrez after his lead-off triple and Ogilvie with an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth to push the lead back to 14-10. Cameron took both of those runs back in the top of the eighth inning, as a Jayce Clem double scored Beau Williams, before Clem came home to score later in the inning off a wild pitch, cutting the deficit to 14-12.

With the bases loaded and one-out, Blair hit a ball to deep left field on a sac fly, scoring Gutierrez in the bottom of the eighth. Back-to-back two RBI doubles from Shull and Van Maanen brought home four more runs, and the lead quickly jumped out to 19-12 for the Chaps. Gutierrez picked up his second single of the inning, this time scoring Marcus Steen and putting LCU on top 20-12. Trent Mallonee reached base on a one-out single in the top of the ninth, but Acosta, Caden Hensley and Jarred Gibson turned a 5-4-3 double play to end the ballgame and give LCU a 20-12 win and the series victory.

It is the first time the Chaps have scored 20 runs in a game since defeating UTPB 23-5 in a seven-inning contest on Apr. 23, 2022. LCU scored 20 runs against Cameron last season as well, knocking off the Aggies 20-5 in Lawton, Okla. on Apr. 15, 2022. Oddly enough, the Chaps also had 21 hits in that game against the Aggies.

Acosta reached base safely in every single plate appearance for the Chaps, going 5-for-5 with five RBIs, four runs and drawing a walk. The senior finished the series against Cameron 12-for-17 with 11 runs scored and 8 RBIs. 

Gutierrez finished a home run short of the cycle, batting 5-for-6 with a double, a triple, three runs scored and an RBI. He also stole two bases against the Aggies. Shull also went 3-for-6 with three RBIs and two runs scored, while Ogilvie went 2-for-3 with four runs and two RBI.

Holden Tate led the Aggie offense, going 3-for-4 with two home runs, six RBIs and two runs scored.

Ryan Markwardt (1-0) earned the win for LCU, going six innings, giving up six runs off nine hits, walking one batter, hitting one batter, and striking out nine. Duran started the game for the Chaps, going three innings, giving up six runs off five hits, walking one batter and hitting three batters while striking out five. 

Weston Max (0-1) was handed the loss, going two innings, giving up five runs off five hits, walking one and striking out four batters.

The Chaps will head on the road for the first time this season, travelling to Odessa for a four-game tilt with UTPB. First pitch of the opening game is set for 2:00 PM on Friday, Feb. 10.