LUBBOCK, Texas - The Chaps return to the field for the first time in eight days for a rare midweek contest, renewing an old rivalry with NAIA foe University of the Southwest at Hays Field on Monday, Mar. 20.

University of the Southwest (16-12) at Lubbock Christian (15-9)
Monday, Mar. 20 - 4:00 PM
Lubbock, Texas - Hays Field

LEADING OFF 
Prior to their bye week issued by the Lone Star Conference, LCU went 2-2 against St. Mary's Mar 10-12. The Chaps opened the series in San Antonio with a 12-0 run-rule win in seven innings. Aydan Alger pitched the entire game, allowing just two hits and walking three batters, while striking out six. Eduardo Acosta led the Chaps on offense, going 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored, while also drawing two walks. The Chaps dropped game two of the series 7-4, as Acosta saw his 35 game reached base streak end, the third-longest in program history. LCU responded with a 12-3 win in the nightcap, scoring nine unanswered runs in the fourth and fifth inning to pull away. Nate Van Maanen hit two home runs in the doubleheader, and went 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI in game two. Lubbock Christian fell behind in game three against the Rattlers 10-2, but scored five runs to cut the lead to three. However, the Rattlers would score four runs late  and held on to take the final game of the series 15-11.

THE CHAPARRAL NINE
• Lubbock Christian is second in the conference with 227 runs scored, the seventh-most in D-II. The Chaps are averaging 9.5 runs per game, the 16th best scoring clip in Division-II.
• The Chap infield defense has been fantastic this season, as the group's 22 double plays are third in the country and lead the LSC. LCU has turned 0.92 double plays a game, the seventh-highest average in D-II.
• Van Maanen leads the conference and the nation with 42 RBI. His teammate Chris Shull ranks fourth in the LSC and eighth in D-II with 35 RBI.
• Carson Ogilive ranks second in the LSC and third in the country with 38 runs scored, while Acosta is third in the LSC and fourth in the nation with 37 runs.

ACOASTING
Eduardo Acosta has been raking at the dish this season as he is third in the country with 37 runs, and is third in the LSC in batting average (.436). His 41 total hits are the second-most in the LSC this season and rank tenth in Division-II. 

THAT'S OFFENSIVE
LCU has scored at will this season, as the Chaparrals 227 total runs are the second-most in the Lone Star Conference and seventh in Division-II. The Chaps' 264 hits lead the conference and are the eighth-most in the country. Lubbock Christian is second in the nation with 11 triples, as Ogilvie is sixth in the country with three. The team's 61 doubles lead the LSC and are second most in D-II, with Ogilvie leading the conference with 12 doubles so far this season. 

TWENTY-ONE, CAN YA DO SOMETHING FOR ME?
Nate Van Maanen leads the conference and all of Division-II with 37 RBI this season. On March 5 vs OC, he finished 5-for-5 with 10 RBI, three home runs, and five runs scored. He ties the school record for RBI in a single game set by Britt Harper on Feb. 9, 2000, a 23-4 win for the Chaps over Eastern New Mexico. He is also the first Chaparral to hit three home runs in a game since Larry Leitha did so on May 8, 2021, oddly enough also against Oklahoma Christian. On defense, Van Maanen has been a stalwart at first base, with a .988 fielding percentage and has turned 16 double plays

AL(GER) NIGHT LONG
Aydan Alger has pitched two complete games this season, both seven-inning outings. His first was on Feb. 23, going all seven innings at Arkansas-Fort Smith, allowing just two hits and striking out nine on just 80 pitches in a 3-0 victory for the Chaps. On Mar. 10, Alger shut down St. Mary's, allowing just two hits, walking three and striking out six in Lubbock Christian's 12-0 run-rule victory over the Rattlers. Alger's 3.93 ERA lead's the team and is eighth in the Lone Star Conference.

PITCHER'S BEST FRIEND
Pitchers on the LCU staff have benefited from a solid infield defense behind them. Acosta at third, Carson Ogilvie at shortstop and Caden Hensley and Ryan Ball have split playing time at second so far this season. Nate Van Maanen and Jarred Gibson have split time at first base. The Chaparral infield has turned 22 double plays so far this season, the most in the LSC and the third most in all of Division-II.

REGIONALLY RECOGNIZED
In the NCBWA preseason regional poll, the Chaps were voted seventh, earning 28 points. It is the first time the Chaps have been ranked in the NCBWA preseason region poll since 2018, when LCU was picked second in the initial region rankings. Eduardo Acosta earned All-Region Team honors for the first time in his career. Acosta is the first Chap to earn NCBWA Preseason All-Region honors since Chandler Casey and Andrew Pratt were named to the team in 2019.
Acosta was also the first Chap to be honored with a regional weekly award from the NCBWA since Chandler Casey earned South Central Region Pitcher of the Week on May 1, 2019, being named NCBWA Region Hitter of the Week on Feb. 8.

STREAKS AND MULTIS
Acosta saw his 35-game reached base streak end on Mar. 11, going 0-for-3 against St. Mary's. That mark was the third-longest in recorded history of the Chaps, behind Joel Lutz who reached in 40 straight games during the 2013 season. Shull and Van Maanen lead the team, having both reached base in all 24 games this season. Van Maanen currently has the longest hitting streak on the team, having recorded a hit in nine straight games. 

FRIENDLY CONFINES
Lubbock Christian will play a 26-game home schedule this season. 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 currently 8-4 on their home turf, and the program is 1,145-349 in home games all-time. LCU won 20 home games last season for the first time since 2018 after having back-to-back losing seasons at Hays Field.

2000 & 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 3,308 games throughout all those years, posting an overall program record of 2,216 wins and 1,096 losses in that time. For the last 20 seasons, it has been head coach Nathan Blackwood leading the program, and he has a 737-337 record in that time. 

SCOUTING THE MUSTANGS
- University of the Southwest enters the contest 16-12 overall and 5-7 in the Red River Athletic Conference. The Mustangs picked up a series win over Xavier (La.) his past weekend, including a 21-14 victory in game three of the series on Mar. 18.
- Despite playing at the NAIA level, the Mustangs are 4-0 against Division-II teams this season, sweeping a series over New Mexico Highlands of the RMAC. The Mustangs won game one 3-2, then outscored the Cowboys 42-10 in the final three games. 
- Gavin VanGronigen leads USW with a 3.90 batting average, and also leads the Mustangs with 29 RBI and are third in the NAIA. 
- The Mustanfs are 0-1 in midweek games this season, falling to Wayland Baptist on Mar. 14, 9-2
- Steve Appel is entering his 9th season in 2022-2023 as the Head Coach of USW Baseball. Appel has led the Mustangs to 181 wins and four postseason births in 7.5 seasons at USW. In 2022 The Mustangs won 33 games and won two games in the conference tournament, the most since 2004,  and set numerous team and individual program records.

THE SERIES WITH THE MUSTANGS
The former conference rivals will meet for the 133rd time on Monday, but for the first time since 2017. Lubbock Christian won the last meeting 22-0, recording 24 hits and holding the Mustangs to just five hits. Most of Southwest's wins have come during the 21st century, having won 11 games in the series since 2000, granted the Chaps lead the series 47-11 during that timespan. LCU won 21 straight over the Mustangs from Mar. 10, 1995 - Apr. 11, 2000, and is 55-9 all-time at Hays Field against USW. The Mustangs' last win was on Feb. 25, 2014, a 5-0 victory in Lubbock.

UP NEXT
The Chaps stay home with a four game conference series against no. 3/3 Angelo State. Game one begins on Friday, Mar. 24 at 6:00 PM.