PORTALES, N.M. (April 12, 2025) – Lubbock Christian got back in the win column with a 10-2 win to start the day Saturday, but fell 4-3 in the nightcap to split the doubleheader with Eastern New Mexico.
 
The Chaparrals (24-17, 23-16 LSC) will try and salvage a split in the series on Sunday in the series finale against the Greyhounds at 2 p.m. CT.
 
GAME ONE
The Chaparrals got on the board immediately, as Shea Bowen put Lubbock Christian on the board with a leadoff home run off senior Griffin Almond. Bowen would finish the game just a double shy of the cycle, driving in three runs and scoring three more.
 
The Chaparrals got back on the board the very next inning. Kyle Lewis hit a one-out triple and came around to score on a balk to make the lead 2-0. And Bowen scored again in the third to increase the Chap lead to three.
 
Meanwhile, Ryan Markwardt was keeping the Greyhounds not only scoreless, but hitless as well. ENMU drew a pair of walks but did nothing else against Markwardt offensively through the first five innings.
 
Lubbock Christian broke the game open in the sixth inning. The Chaparrals scored five runs in the frame, highlighted by a two-run single off the bat of Frayner Chavez and a two-run triple from Bowen, bringing the score to 8-0.
 
Eastern New Mexico finally broke through against Markwardt with a leadoff double in the sixth and scored a single run in the frame.
 
Lubbock Christian picked up two more runs in the seventh when a single from Chavez scored Roe Forrest and Lewis. ENMU put one run on the scoreboard before the game was over, but the Chaparrals still coasted to the 10-2 win.
 
GAME TWO
The Chaparrals out-hit the Greyhounds in game two of the doubleheader 7-6, but came out on the short end of the score 4-3.
 
Two of the four ENMU runs came across in the first inning against Evan Roach, who suffered the loss on the mound for the Chaps. They added a single run in the second before LCU finally broke through in the top of the third. Jacob Gutierrez drove in the first Chap run with a single.
 
ENMU answered and scored the deciding run in the bottom of the third on a bases-loaded hit by pitch.
 
LCU scored two more runs on another Gutierrez single in the fifth, but they were unable to tie the game in the sixth and seventh.
 
GAME NOTES
» Markwardt's complete-game performance in the first game was his third of the season, which is tied for the most in the Lone Star Conference.
» Walks were again the issues in the nightcap loss. LCU pitchers walked nine batters in the game, and three of the four runners who scored reached base via a walk.
» Bowen went 5-for-9 on the day with five runs scored.
» Dakota McCaskill pitched three shutout innings to close out the second game, striking out a season-high five batters in the process.
» LCU has out-hit the Greyhounds in all three games in the series, including both losses.