LUBBOCK, Texas (March 9, 2025) – Down to their final at-bat twice, Lubbock Christian earned a pair of walkoff wins against No. 2 Angelo State on Sunday, 6-5 and 13-12, to take a 2-1 advantage in the series.
 
The wins were the first two this season against a ranked opponent for the Chaparrals, who improved to 12-9 overall and 11-8 in Lone Star Conference play.
 
Frayner Chavez was the hero of the first game, drawing a bases-loaded walk with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to push in the game-winner. It was Kyle Lewis with the walkoff RBI in the nightcap, hitting a ground ball up the middle that scored pinch runner Carson Shields from second.
 
Lubbock Christian had not had a walkoff yet this season. Their last walkoff was in the opening game of the 2024 Lone Star Conference Tournament, when Jarred Gibson walked off UT Permian Basin.
 
GAME ONE
The Chaparrals got on the board immediately, starting their scoring with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Shea Bowen led off the frame with a double, scoring on a single from Jacob Gutierrez.
 
After the Rams rallied to tie the ballgame at one in the top of the third, the Chaparrals came right back to retake the lead in the bottom of the inning. Gutierrez reached on an error to start the rally, followed by a single from Nicklaus Baumbach. Back-to-back walks to Brock Tijerina and Kyle Lewis pushed in one run, and a sacrifice fly from Adam Garcia scored the other.
 
Both teams scored again in the fourth, with Angelo State scoring two to tie the game, but LCU eased back ahead in the bottom of the frame. Chavez walked, stole second and scored on a single from Brevin McCool.
 
Angelo State rallied one final time in the sixth, scoring a pair of runs of Logan Moore, taking the lead for the first time in the game. LCU went scoreless in the sixth, but was able to rally in the seventh. Gutierrez led off with a walk, and after a controversial pitch clock strikeout of Baumbach, scored on a double from Tijerina. A walk by Johnny Gomez III and a single from Kade York set up the walkoff from Chavez.
 
Andrew Duran earned the win in relief, improving to 1-1 on the season with an inning and a third of scoreless ball.
 
GAME TWO
ASU jumped out in front of the second game, scoring five runs through the first three frames off Chap starter Evan Roach. Although they had some early chances, the Lubbock Christian offense finally got on the board in the bottom of the third in a big way.
 
It was Gutierrez once again starting the rally with a leadoff walk, but all of the Chaparral runs came with two outs. Lewis drove in run to force the ASU starter from the game, and Chavez drove in a pair off the new reliever Jude Cook. Shea Bowen had the big swing though, homering to right center to put the Chaps on top.
 
Angelo State tied the game in the fifth, but LCU came through again in the bottom of the frame, again with two outs. Chavez was on again, and so was Bowen, when Gutierrez blasted a homer to left center.
 
The Chaps allowed two runs in the sixth but still clung to a one-run lead heading into the seventh and final frame. ASU ended up batting around in the frame, turning the one run LCU lead into a three-run deficit before Tyler Manyo induced back-to-back flyouts bring the Chaps to the plate.
 
Bowen and McCool led off with hits and Baumbach drove in a run with a single of his own. Then Gomez walked and Tijerina smacked a pinch-hit single to tie the game, setting up the dramatic final swing from Lewis that scored pinch runner Carson Shields to win the game.
 
GAME NOTES
» The win was LCU's first over a top-five ranked opponent since April 21, 2024, when they topped No. 5 West Texas A&M 5-4. Their last win against a top-five opponent at Hays Field was March 7, 2021, when they beat No. 1 Angelo State.
» Chap second basemen Frayner Chavez was only retired one time on the day, collecting two hits, four walks, a sacrifice bunt, three runs and three RBI. Prior to Sunday, he had only drawn three walks all season.
» With two more home runs on the day, Lubbock Christian now has 30 on the season.
» LCU game one starter Ryan Markwardt struck out six batters in his outing, bringing him to 38 on the year, which is tied for second-most in the LSC.
» The Chaps were 12-28 (.428) with runners in scoring position in the two games combined.