LUBBOCK, Texas - LCU scored seven runs in the second inning and did not slow down, rolling over University of the Southwest 15-6 on Monday, Mar. 20.

The Mustangs (16-13, 5-7 RRAC) started strong with a leadoff triple from Omar Baldenegro on the first pitch of the game. He'd come home to score on a wild pitch, and Southwest took an early 1-0 lead after the top of the first.

After a leadoff single in the bottom of the second from Nate Van Maanen, three straight Chaparral (16-9, 15-9 LSC) batters were hit by a pitch, and Van Maanen scored after Jarred Gibson was plunked to tie the game at one. An RBI-single from Caden Hensley scored Chris Shull to give Lubbock Christian the lead, and Ryan Ball scored on a fielder's choice to push the Chaps ahead 3-1. Brevin McCool kept the scoring going, as his two-RBI single swelled the lead to 5-1. A sac fly from Eduardo Acosta scored Carson Ogilvie, and Van Maanen recorded his second hit of the inning, bringing McCool home on an RBI double, and the Chapparals went ahead 7-1.

An RBI single from Gavin VanGronigen got a run back for USW in the top of the third, cutting the LCU lead to 7-2. Lubbock Christian answered in the bottom half of the frame, as Ball scored again off a ground out by Hayden Blair, and a sac fly from Hensley scored Gibson to increase the Chap lead to 9-2. After an Ogilvie double, McCool hit a home run over the center field wall, and the Chaparrals swelled the bulge to 11-2. 

VanGronigen came through for the Mustangs again in the top of the fourth, with another RBI single to lower the LCU lead to 11-3. A ground out in the bottom of the fourth by Gibson scored Van Maanen to get the run back, and a Hayden Blair RBI-single scored Shull to put the Chaps up ten, going on top 13-3. 

Another ground out from the Chaps, this time from Van Maanen, scored Ogilvie, while a single from Shull brought home McCool to push Lubbock Christian ahead 15-3. A Kevan Diaz single in the top of the sixth got the Mustangs back on the board and cut the lead to 15-4, but Jesse Benavidez and Johnny Gomez III turned the double play to end the inning. 

Eliazar Torres singled in the top of the seventh to score another run for USW, but again, Gomez III helped turn a double play, this time with Sam Shank, to keep the Mustangs corralled and down 15-5. Braxton Ashford brought home one more run for Southwest in the top of the ninth with a ground out to score Santiago Garcia, but a ground out to Shank ended the game and the Chaps took the 15-6 victory.

Lubbock Christian has now won four-straight nonconference games, their last loss being on Jan. 31, 2021 to Arkansas Tech at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas. LCU has also won two in a row over NAIA opponents, both wins being against Southwest, their last loss coming on Apr. 26, 2016 to Wayland Baptist. 

McCool led the Chaps at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a home run, four RBI, and three runs scored. Van Maanen went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. VanGronigen led USW at the dish, going 3-for-5 with two RBI. 

Marcos Escalera (2-2) earned the win, going two innings allowing one run off four hits, walking one and striking out two. Every single pitcher after Escalera went one inning in relief for the Chaps. Ryan Markwardt allowed one run off two hits, walking a batter and striking out one, while Andrew Duran also allowed one run off two hits, walking a batter and struck out another. Stoney Rhodes faced just three batters and got a 1-2-3 inning, while Chris Rhoades gave up one run off a hit, walking one batter. Koi Carillo gave up one run off a hit and struck out a batter, while Tyler Manyo walked one batter and hit another, but did not give up any runs. Josh Akers closed out the contest, giving up one run off two hits, walking one batter.

Dakota Cummings (0-1) was handed the loss, going 2.2 innings, giving up 11 runs off seven hits, walking one batter and striking out another. Cummings also hit three batters. 

The Chaps return to conference play this weekend, hosting no. 3/3 Angelo State at Hays Field. Game one is set for a 6:00 PM first pitch on Friday, Mar. 24.