SAN ANTONIO, Texas (February 21, 2025) – Lubbock Christian bounced back from Friday's extra-inning loss in a big way on Saturday, beating St. Mary's 9-5 and 7-2 in a doubleheader at Dickson Stadium.
 
Senior left-hander Ryan Markwardt continued his hot streak in the first game of the day, tossing six innings with four runs allowed and 10 strikeouts against just one walk. He improved to 3-1 on the season with the victory.
 
Evan Roach and Cadon Everett combined to beat the Rattlers in the second game, with Everett getting the win in relief. The big right-hander threw 3.2 innings out of the bullpen, allowing just one baserunner while striking out four.
 
The Chaps are now 9-6 on the year both overall and in Lone Star Conference play and have a chance to win the series on Sunday.
 
GAME ONE
The Chaparrals got on the scoreboard first, starting in the second inning. Lubbock Christian's offense started clicking and put up six runs, starting with a single up the middle by Frayner Chavez and ending with an RBI double off the bat of junior Jacob Gutierrez.
 
The Chaparrals then held the Rattlers scoreless before adding an insurance run in the fifth. Gutierrez singled to start the frame and advanced to third on a double by Nicklaus Baumbach. He then scored on a groundout by Adam Garcia.
 
The final two LCU runs came in the top of the sixth. Kyle Lewis reached on a fielding error, stole second, and scored on a double from Shea Bowen. Bowen eventually came around to score himself on a sacrifice fly from Baumbach.
 
St. Mary's finally broke through on Markwardt scoring four times on a pair of homers. He was relieved by Tyler Manyo in the seventh, who also gave up a solo homer, but closed out the game, striking out a pair in the frame.
 
GAME TWO
St. Mary's got on the board early and was leading 1-0 in the fourth inning when the Chaps first got on the board. Senior Johnny Gomez III came across on a Rattler error to tie the game.
 
The Rattlers broke the tie and scored their final run of the game in the top of the fourth, chasing Roach from the game for Everett, who came in and struck out a batter and got a groundout to end the threat.
Lubbock Christian see-sawed back in front in the fifth, taking the lead for good with a two-out rally. Baumbach doubled to put runners at the corners, and the next two Chap batters walked, tying the game. A wild pitch brought in another run, and Chavez's infield single drove in another.
 
Insurance runs came in the top of the sixth, when back-to-back walks from Brevin McCool and Bowen started the frame. Singles from Gutierrez and Baumbach drove in the pair, and Gomez III drove in another with a sacrifice fly.
 
Everett closed out the sixth and the seventh with only one hit allowed, sitting the Rattlers down in order in the seventh for his first win of the season.
 
GAME NOTES
» Markwardt's 10 strikeouts were a season-high, and just two shy of his career high of 12 strikeouts, which was set Feb. 24, 2023 at Arkansas-Fort Smith.
» Baumbach led the Chaparrals at the plate on the day, going 4-for-7 with three doubles, two RBI and two runs scored.
» Every Lubbock Christian starter reached base safely in the second game of the day.
» The Chaparrals drew 21 walks from Saint Mary's pitching in the two games combined. Their 14 walks in the second game is tied for the most in a single game this season.
» Lubbock Christian has not committed an error yet in this series. It is their first three-game stretch without an error since Feb. 3-4, 2024 when they did so against Cameron.

This story was partially created through content automation technology from Data Skrive.