LUBBOCK, Texas (February 20, 2026) — Lubbock Christian University fell to St. Mary's University 7-5 on Friday at Hays Field in a tightly contest game one of the series. 

The Rattlers capitalized on the Chaps' three errors, securing the win with a decisive three-run seventh inning after LCU had rallied from a four-run deficit. 

Lubbock Christian falls to 4-7 on the season while St. Mary's improves to 10-1 and remains tied with UT Tyler atop the league standings. 

StMU took an early lead in the first inning with an unearned run. Garrett Brooks singled through the left side and later scored on a single by Jacob King, advancing to second on a throwing error by Dylan Marx. The inning ended with the Rattlers leading 1-0.

In the fourth inning, the Rattlers extended its lead with the only three earned runs they scored in the game. Ryan Alaniz scored on a sacrifice fly by Matt Mendez, followed by an RBI single by Raithen Malone. The Rattlers held a 4-0 advantage after the top half of the inning. 

LCU had only one hit to this point against Rattler starter Brandon Vasquez, but Hudson Grace and Joe Mancinas lead off the bottom of the fourth with back-to-back singles. Both players came into score with an RBI groundout from Aaron Morales and a sacrifice fly rom Jorge De Los Santos to cut the deficit to two. 

Karson Dunn tossed a shutdown inning and the Chaparrals tied the game in the fifth inning. Grace reached on a fielder's choice and Joe Mancinas followed with a homer to left field, driving in two runs to level the score at 4-4.

Both teams went scoreless in the sixth, but the Rattlers put their first two batters on and in scoring position, forcing the Chaps to go to Isaiah Gonzalez out of the bullpen. Gonzalez nearly wriggled LCU out of the jam, striking out the next two batters. Then, in an at-bat that featured a controversial ball call by the home plate umpire, he went to a full count with Alaniz before the batter homered to right field to give the Rattlers the lead. 

De Los Santos hit a solo home run in the eighth inning to pull the Chaps within two and they put a runner on in the ninth, but could not tie the game. 

The Chaps' pitching staff was led by Karson Dunn, who started the game and pitched six innings, allowing six hits and only three earned runs. Isaiah Gonzalez came in as a reliever in the seventh inning, pitching 3 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run, striking out five batters, while giving up three hits.

GAME NOTES:
- The home runs from Mancinas and De Los Santos was the Lady Chaps' 16th of the season, which is the second-most in the Lone Star Conference
- The Chaps did not have a hit in their five at-bats with runners in scoring position
- Dunn struck out a season-high four strikeouts, throwing 59.1 percent of his pitches for strikes
- De Los Santos threw out two runners trying to steal in the game and has now caught six would-be basestealers this season
- Grace went 3-for-5, raising his team-leading batting average to .436

NEXT UP:
Lubbock Christian will look to bounce back in the series in the doubleheader Saturday, which begins at 1 p.m. at Hays Field.