LUBBOCK, Texas – Strong defense in game two allowed Lubbock Christian to split today's doubleheader against Oklahoma Christian, falling to the Eagles 12-3 in game one before holding on for the 4-3 win in game two on Saturday, Mar. 4.

GAME ONE – Oklahoma Christian 12, Lubbock Christian 3
Three Chap errors and quality hitting by Oklahoma Christian gave the Eagles the 12-3 win over LCU.

The Eagles (8-7, 8-6 LSC) got the scoring started in the top of the second, as a fielder's choice scored Michael DiFiore to give OC a 1-0 lead. Connor Jackson added two more later in the inning with a two-RBI double, and the Eagles pushed ahead 3-0. LCU (11-7, 11-7 LSC) answered in the bottom half of the second frame, as a Hayden Blair RBI single scored Jarred Gibson to cut the lead to 3-1.

DiFiore came through for OC again in the top of the third, as his two-RBI triple extended the OC advantage to 5-1. He came home to score for the Eagles again later in the inning after a Chance Westervelt single brought him in, and the OC lead grew to 6-1. The Chaps answered once again in the bottom of the third, with an Eduardo Acosta RBI single scoring Carson Ogilvie, and the Chaps lowered the deficit to 6-2.

In the top of the fourth, an error by Coleson Abel on a pickoff move allowed Jaren Hill to score, while a second error by Ogilvie brought in Blake Empkey, and the OC advantage ballooned to 8-2. A sac bunt from Hill scored Colton Hinkle in the top of the fifth, and a wild pitch brought Grant Lake in from third, and the Eagles went ahead 10-2.

DiFiore brought home another run for the Eagles in the top of the sixth with an RBI double, while a sac fly from Hinkle scored DiFiore, and OC extended the advantage to 12-2. An RBI single from Brevin McCool scored Jarred Gibson in the bottom of the seventh, but no miracle comeback could be staged by the Chaps, as Oklahoma Christian took the 12-3 victory.

DiFiore paced the Eagles at the plate, going 3-for-4 with three RBI and three runs scored. Gibson led the Chaps, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

Naut Kragt (3-1) earned the win, going seven innings, giving up three runs on 11 hits and striking out three.

Ryan Markwardt (3-1) was handed the loss, going 3.0 innings, allowing six runs off eight hits and walking one batter. Abel went one inning in relief, allowing two unearned runs off a hit, walking one and striking out one. Stoney Rhodes went two innings, allowing four runs, two of those being unearned, off four hits, walking two and striking out a pair. Parker Rumsey closed out the game, striking out a batter in an inning of work.

GAME TWO – Lubbock Christian 4, Oklahoma Christian 3
Andrew Duran pitched a complete game, as the Chaps held off a late OC rally to pick up a 4-3 win in game two of their doubleheader on Saturday, Mar. 4.

After getting a pair of two out singles, Oklahoma Christian (8-8, 8-7 LSC) would go stagnant on offense, seeing ten straight batters retired by the Lubbock Christian defense. The Chaparrals (12-7, 12-7) got the offense going in the bottom of the third, as an RBI single from Eduardo Acosta scored Bo Hogeboom to give the Chaps a 1-0 lead. Nate Van Maanen doubled later in the frame, and Acosta and Carson Ogilive trotted home to swell the lead to 3-0. Van Maanen would come in to score himself off a Jarred Gibson double, and the Chaps took control, going up 4-0.

OC got some offense going in the top of the fifth, as a Hank Heiselbetz single scored Grant Lake. Blake Empkey hit the first home run of the weekend later in the frame, a two-run shot to cut the Lubbock Christian lead down to 4-3. Marcus Johnson reached on a two-out triple in the inning, but Duran got a groundout to end the inning and keep LCU ahead.

Oklahoma Christian would get no closer, as the Chaparral defense retired the final seven batters of the day to hold on for the 4-3 win.

Van Maanen led the Chaps on offense, going 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored. Hogeboom also went 2-for-3 with a run scored.

Duran (3-1) earned the win, going all seven innings allowing three runs off six hits, striking out four and walking a batter. Isaiah Alvarenga (2-2) was handed the loss, allowing four runs off five hits and striking out two in 2.2 innings.

The Chaps will look to take the series tomorrow, Mar. 5, facing Oklahoma Christian in the final game of the set. First pitch from Hays Field is set for 1:00 PM.