LUBBOCK, Texas (April 23, 2023) – After honoring eight graduating seniors from the program – six players, one student assistant and one student trainer – Lubbock Christian University went right back to work against West Texas A&M, winning 13-6 to sweep the series.
 
Caden Hensley, Merritt McPherson, Eduardo Acosta, Sam Shank, Koi Carrillo and Parker Rumsey were the six players honored, along with trainer Jodi Bullock and student assistant Brandon Coronado, as the Chaps moved to 28-18 overall and 26-18 in Lone Star Conference play.
 
LCU now sits in fourth place in the league standings, tied record-wise with the Buffs, but holding the head-to-head advantage with the sweep. The top eight teams at the end of the regular season make the LSC tournament, with the top four seeds hosting the bottom four seeds on campus for opening round series May 5-7.
 
Just like the first three games of the weekend, the Chaps got on the board early Sunday afternoon. Taking advantage of a pair of Buff errors, they plated three runs in the first.
 
WT's sloppy play continued in the second when they committed two more errors along with a passed ball and a balk, allowing the Chaps to send 10 batters to the plate and score five more runs, increasing their lead to 8-1.
 
The two teams traded runs in the third inning, with Acosta driving in Hensley. Acosta had a big day at the plate in what might have been his last appearance at Hays Field. The Puerto Rico native finished 4-for-5 with four RBI and three runs scored.
 
The fourth inning was the first where neither team scored, but the Chaparral offense got going again in the bottom of the fifth. Hensley singled and Carson Ogilvie doubled to start the frame and plate a run, before Acosta drove in Ogilvie. Nate Van Maanen drove in one more run for a 12-2 lead before the Buffs finally got out of the frame.
 
Just when it looked like LCU might be able to end the game early with a run-rule, West Texas A&M struck for their only crooked number inning. The Chaps walked the bases loaded for the LSC's leading hitter – Adam Becker – and he hit WT's first and only home run of the weekend to cut the deficit to 12-6.
 
The Chaps got one run back in the bottom of the sixth with Ogilvie driving in Shank. Josh Akers settled in on the mound and pitched scoreless frames in the seventh and eighth. Colton Brown came in to pitch the ninth and struck out a pair as he closed out the win.
 
Chris Shull was the winning pitcher for the Chaps, claiming his second win on the mound this weekend. He also won on Friday night after pitching the 10^th inning in relief and played 23 innings in center field against WT.
 
Lubbock Christian will look to hold on to its fourth-place position and finish out the regular season on a good note next weekend as the head to Portales, New Mexico to play a four game series against the Greyhounds of Eastern New Mexico.