LUBBOCK, Texas (February 21, 2026) – Lubbock Christian University earned a win and a loss in Saturday's doubleheader, winning 9-2 in the first game before suffering a 10-9 lost in the second contest of the day.
 
Aaron Rubio tossed a complete game to start the day as the Chaparrals beat the Rattlers 9-2. LCU had a 9-2 lead again in the second game, but gave up eight unanswered runs in the final three frames to lose. They are now 5-8 on the season.
 
GAME ONE
Lubbock Christian took control early, scoring five runs in the first inning. Owen Alsup and Freddie Nolen started the rally with two outs, as theyeach drew walks, setting up Jorge De Los Santos, who singled up the middle to drive in Alsup. Roe Forrest followed with an RBI single, allowing Nolen to score. Tanner Pachorek's infield single added another run, and Johnny Gomez III capped the inning with a two-RBI triple to deep center.
 
StMU answered with a single run in the top of the second on a pair of doubles, but Aaron Rubio induced a groundout to end the threat. The Chap starter went on to hang zeroes in each of the next four innings.
 
The Chaparrals extended their lead in the third inning with four more runs. Pachorek singled, and with Gomez reaching on a walk, a throwing error allowed both to score. Dylan Marx executed a bunt single to the pitcher's mound, and a sacrifice fly by Alsup, followed by Nolen's RBI single, made it a 9-1 game after three innings.
 
One final run came across for the Rattlers as Rubio closed out his complete game in the seventh. The run came across on three straight two-out singles before Rubio got a flyout to end the game.
 
Rubio pitched a complete game for Lubbock Christian, going seven innings and allowing two earned runs on eight hits. He efficiently used 106 pitches, with 73 of those being strikes, and induced 10 groundouts alongside 5 flyouts and four strikeouts.
 
GAME TWO
Lubbock Christian and St. Mary's each scored twice in the opening inning of the second game. After the two Rattler runs, LCU responded with back-to-back singles from Kyle Lewis and Hudson Grace to start the bottom half of the inning. Both players scored on Ryan Gargett's two-run triple.
 
After allowing the two runs in the first, Kyle England settled in on the mound for the Chaps. He was able to keep the Rattlers scoreless for the next three frames while LCU built a lead.
 
In the second inning, the Chaparrals took control with a four-run surge. Johnny Gomez III doubled and scored on Dylan Marx's RBI double. Grace added an RBI single, and Freddie Nolen and Roe Forrest each drew bases-loaded walks, extending the lead to 6-2 by the end of the frame.
 
Lubbock Christian's offense continued in the fourth inning when Forrest hit a three-run homer, bringing the score to 9-2. Jorge De Los Santos and Gargett scored on the play.
 
StMU cut into the lead and chased England during the fifth inning, scoring three runs, including two on Dillon Lopez's double, narrowing the deficit to 9-5.
 
In the sixth inning, St. Mary's evened the score with four runs. A fielding error allowed the first run to score, followed by RBIs from Ashton Beaird and Lopez, making it 9-9. The Rattlers took the lead in the seventh inning with a run-scoring double by Matt Mendez, and LCU was unable to plate the tying run in the bottom half of the inning.
 
GAME NOTES

• Rubio's complete game was the first by Chap this season. Ryan Markwardt had the most recent, tossing nine innings against St. Edward's on May 9, 2025
• Gomez had hits in both games and has now reached base in all 13 games so far this season
• Lubbock Christian hit 11-for-25 (.440) with runners in scoring position in the two games combined
• The two triples on the day give the Chaps four on the season, which is tied for the third-most in the LSC

 
NEXT UP
The Chaps will look to salvage a split in the series on Sunday, wrapping up the series against the Rattlers at 1 p.m. at Hays Field.