Chaps and OC Split Doubleheader

LUBBOCK, Texas (March 12, 2010) – Lubbock Christian University split a doubleheader for the seventh time this season, as the No.1 Chaparrals fell in extra innings 6-4 in the opener of a Sooner Athletic Conference series at Hays Field against Oklahoma Christian University before taking the second game 10-3.

In the opener, Oklahoma Christian produced nine of their 11 hits in the game with two outs, with all six of their runs coming with two-outs to give the Eagles their first win over LCU since April 29, 2000.  Both teams wasted scoring opportunities and it started in the first inning. Chaps starting pitcher Paul Gonzalez struck out the first two batters to open the game, but an error by third-baseman Ross Blondin on a pop-up in the heavily windy conditions and a walk led to a single by Zac Coshow that scored the Eagles opening run.  LCU matched it in the bottom half of the first inning, but they were unable to take the lead after loading the bases with no outs.  The lone LCU run of the inning came on a wild pitch scoring Austin Stewart.  Blondin a hit a ground ball to Coshow at first base leading to a throw home to get the force out and Doug Kroll struck out to set up JJ Muse grounding out to end the threat.  The Chaps took a 2-1 lead with a RBI-single from Blondin in the third inning, but the lead was short-lived.  With two outs and the bases empty in the fourth inning, OC produced three hits and Gonzalez walked an additional two batters leading to a pair of runs and a 3-2 OC lead.  Joe Staley hit is second double of the game for LCU in the fourth inning and it scored Stewart to tie the game at 3-3.  Muse reached base on an error in the fifth inning and eventually scored on a single up the middle by Dan Neumann to regain the LCU lead to 4-3.  Tyler Parcus hit a two-out single in the sixth inning to score Josh Balch and the Eagles tied the game at 4-4.  Eagles starting pitcher Kennedy Winn was shaky at the start with four walks in the first two innings, but as the game progressed, his game strengthened.  Winn retired nine straight LCU batters beginning in the sixth inning and struck out six straight in the span to allow the OC offense an opportunity to get the lead run, which they did.  LCU’s Tristan Gaines got a pair of quick outs in the ninth inning, but then Heath Steele singled and Tyler Gipson followed with a triple to provide the Eagles a 5-4 lead.  Davis, the following batter, added to the lead with a single and the Chaps trailed 6-4.  The Chaps attempted a two-out rally of their own in the bottom of the ninth, as they loaded the bases for Marc Gomez, but Parcus, who relieved Winn in the ninth inning, struck out Gomez to end the game.

The two teams combined to strand 25 runners, with OC stranding 13.  Winn improved to 1-3 on the season, as he allowed three earned runs off nine hits in nine innings pitched.  He also had 11 strikeouts.  Gaines suffered the loss for LCU, falling to 1-3 on the season.  Gonzalez allowed two earned runs in four innings and struck out five batters.

In the second game, OC starting hurler Brady Hamar pitched no-hit baseball through four innings, while a single by Jordan Price in the third inning led to OC leading 1-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth inning.  Reid Chenworth ended the no-hit bid with a single and it ignited the LCU offense to eight hits leading to seven runs and a 7-1 lead with just one out recorded in the inning.  It ruined a good night for Hamar, who would leave after 4 1/3 innings.  Neumann produced a lead-off single in the sixth inning and Marc Gomez hit a double to allow David Cruz to hit a sacrifice fly to increase the lead to 8-1.  Two batters later, Richard Bohlken smashed a two-run home run over the left field fence against the wind for his team-leading eighth home run of the season and a 10-1 lead.  Kyle Berry replaced Chaps starting pitcher Frank Corolla, who allowed a run off seven hits in six innings pitched.  Berry struggled finding the strike zone, walking four straight batters and allowed an infield single for a pair of runs before regrouping to strikeout a pair of batters to close out the Chaps victory.

Hamar suffered the loss for his first of the season (2-1), while Corolla improved to 4-1.  Bohlken finished 2-for-4 with four runs-batted-in in the game and Cruz went 1-for-2 with three runs-batted-in.  Blondin and Cruz each had at least one hit in each game and have extended their hit streak to ten consecutive games.

Oklahoma Christian ended a ten-game series losing streak against LCU with the opening game win and they are 9-7 on the season after the doubleheader split.  The Eagles are also 5-3 in the SAC.  LCU is now 6-2 in the SAC and 18-8 overall.

The rubber match of the series is scheduled for a nine-inning game Saturday at Hays Field with a 1 p.m. first pitch.  Video of the game can be viewed online at www.lcuchaps.com, presented by www.SportCamTV.com and Stretch Internet (www.stretchinternet.com).   Audio and live scoring links are also available.