LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN (15-15, 15-15 LSC) vs.
ST. EDWARD'S (19-10, 19-10 LSC)
Friday, March 27 – 6 p.m.
Saturday, March 28 – 2 p.m. (DH)
Sunday, March 29 – 1 p.m.
Hays Field – Lubbock, Texas
 
LEADING OFF
After a series loss at Texas A&M-Kingsville last weekend, Lubbock Christian University returns home to host St. Edward's for four games at Hays Field. The local weather is not very welcoming for the visiting Hilltoppers, with winds upward of 15 mph all weekend, including 20-30 for Friday's series-opener. This series and pretty much every one left on the schedule are important for the Chaparrals as they sit at exactly .500 more than halfway through the season. They would be seventh in the Lone Star Conference standings if the season ended today, making them the final team to make it into the league's postseason tournament. They'll need a strong finish to the season and a run at the tournament to make the NCAA postseason.
 
NERVES OF STEAL
The Chaparrals swiped nine bases during the four games down in Kingsville bringing their season total to 73, which is the 15th-most in Division II. They have also surpassed last year's season total of 41. The most bases the Chaps have stolen in the NCAA era is 87 in 2024, but even that season they only averaged 1.42 per game, while they are averaging 2.43 per game this year. Nine of their steals came in the 3/1 game against UT Dallas, which is the most they have swiped in a game in the NCAA era (since 2015). Four in that game came from Lewis, who ranks third in the LSC with 20 steals. Jorge De Los Santos (17) and Hudson Grace (16) are both also in the top five in the conference.
 
LEAVING THE YARD
Lubbock Christian enters the weekend having clubbed 36 home runs, which is the most in the Lone Star Conference and ranks 26^th in all of Division II. They are averaging 1.20 home runs per game this season. In 2025, they led the league with 89 home runs, averaging 1.56 per game. After hitting two homers against the Javelinas, senior outfielder Roe Forrest now leads the team in round-trippers with seven, a mark that is also tied for second in the conference. Twelve different Chaparrals have homered at least once this season, which is more than they had in the 2025 season.
 
DOUBLE OR NOTHING
A strong power-hitting team overall – their .512 slugging percentage ranks second in the LSC – the Chaps have also hit a league-leading 71 double this year. That mark is good enough to rank 18^th in all of Division II. The two-baggers are spread pretty evenly throughout the squad, with nine different Chaps hitting at least five. Hudson Grace leads the team with an even 10, which ranks 12^th in the LSC. In the Feb. 7 game against SRSU, the team had nine doubles in one game, which was the most they'd had in a game since they had 10 on May 18, 2024 against UT Permian Basin. Four of those came from Alsup, and by doing so he tied the LCU program record, set by Brevin McCool on May 25, 2024. Four doubles is also the single-game record for the conference.
 
THE STARTERS…
Lubbock Christian's starting pitchers this season have combined to post a 5.40 ERA in 141.2 innings of work. The group, which is projected this weekend to include Dakota McCaskill, Karson Dunn, Aaron Rubio and Bryce Nall, has limited opponents to a .279 batting average with 107 strikeouts. Dunn had the best weekend of the rotation in Kingsville, allowing just one run in five innings of work, which lowered his season ERA to 3.63, which is the third-best mark in the conference. Rubio is right behind him in fourth with a 3.79 ERA this season, and the right-hander claimed LSC Pitcher of the Week honors in week six of the season.
 
…AND THE STAFF
LCU's bullpen has had its fair share of ups and downs throughout the season, posting an ERA of 10.14 in 92.1 innings of work. Isaiah Gonzalez has been the most oft-used reliever, posting a 4.96 ERA in 16t.1 innings of work across 10 appearances. Last weekend, Tyler Sudderth was the most effective reliever, making his first appearance as a Chaparral and pitching two innings of shutout ball with three strikeouts. Six different LCU pitchers have recorded saves. The only time in the NCAA era that LCU has had more different pitchers record saves in a single season was 2024, when there were seven Chaps who did so.
 
TABLE SETTERS
Part of the reason for LCU's offensive success this season has been their ability to get the leadoff batter on base. The Chaps are putting their leadoff man aboard at a .419 clip, compared to just .380 for their opponents. Senior outfielder Kyle Lewis has batted in the one hole for the majority of the season and is reaching base at a .431 clip when leading off an inning. The highest mark on the team comes from catcher Ryan Gargett, who has a .571 on-base percentage when leading off, albeit in just seven chances.
 
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Invented by the legendary Bill James, Runs Created estimates a player's offensive contribution in terms of total runs. It combines a player's ability to get on base with his ability to hit for extra bases. Then it divides those two by the player's total opportunities. The formula is TB x (H + BB) / (AB + BB). Leading the Chaps in runs created this season by the slimmest of margins is junior outfielder Hudson Grace with 31.28. He is just barely ahead of Jorge De Los Santos, who has 31.20 runs created.
 
LAST TIME OUT
Lubbock Christian went 1-3 last weekend in Kingsville, winning game two of the series behind a strong start from Karson Dunn. They had a lead late in game three as well, but gave up four runs in the eighth to fall 11-9. The Chaps hit just .278 in the series with a .399 on-base percentage, while the Javelinas hit .391. LCU's pitching staff had an ERA of 9.93 in the series, striking out 27 batters. Chap hitters really struggled with the Javelina pitching staff, striking out 29 times on the weekend, including 19 times in game one of the series.
 
FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA
LCU's 22 newcomers on the 2026 roster come from all over the North American continent, with a whopping 16 (72  percent) hailing from outside of the Lone Star State. The largest contingent from outside of Texas come from Colorado (5), but they also have players from New Mexico, Washington, Idaho, Arizona, Tennessee, Florida, Mexico and even Sitka, Alaska, which more than 3000 miles away from Lubbock.
 
FRIENDLY CONFINES
This weekend will feature games 16-19 of 27 total home games Lubbock Christian will play this season at the recently renovated Hays Field, where they are currently 10-5. Originally dedicated on April 29, 1978 as Chaparral Stadium, the complex was renamed Hays Field in 1999 to honor the L.D., Pearl, Larry, and Daren Hays families for their dedication and commitment to the ideals and values of Lubbock Christian University. The playing dimensions of Hays Field measure 340 feet down the lines, 380 feet to the power alleys, and 400 feet to straight away center. The field features brand new artificial turf, expanded dugouts and a new padded backstop this year and will have new grandstands in time for the 2027 season. The Chaparrals are 1,210-372 in home games all-time.
 
2000 & COUNTING
Since the inception of LCU's baseball program in 1971, the Chaparrals have been one of the best baseball teams at whatever level they were playing. Lubbock Christian has played 3,480 games throughout all those years, posting an overall program record of 2,330 wins and 1,150 losses in that time. For the last 23 seasons, it has been head coach Nathan Blackwood leading the program, and he has a 851-405 record.
 
SCOUTING THE HILLTOPPERS

• St. Edward's is 19-10 on the season, but has lost four out of their last five games, including a series loss last weekend to St. Mary's
• SEU is second in the conference in runs scored with 270 and are batting .315 as a team
• Senior first baseman Connor Cox leads the SEU offense with a .402 batting average and league-leading .735 slugging percentage
• The Hilltopper pitching staff has an ERA of 6.80, just ahead of LCU at sixth in the LSC
• Head coach Ryan Femath is in his third season leading SEU with an overall record of 79-62 in that time

 
THE SERIES WITH THE HILLTOPPERS
Lubbock Christian and St. Edward's first met on the diamond in 1986, and they have faced off 80 times overall. Most of those meetings have come since 2014, when the Chaps moved to the NCAA Division II level. LCU has a slim lead in the all-time series with 43 wins and 37 losses, and the teams have split the last 10 games exactly down the middle. SEU has actually won five straight against the Chaps, including a series win in the regular season last year and wins in both the LSC Tournament and NCAA Tournament. LCU swept the series the last time the Hilltoppers were in Lubbock in 2024.