Streak Ends As Chaps Fall

LUBBOCK, Texas (March 13, 2010) – No.1 Lubbock Christian University’s streak of consecutive Sooner Athletic Conference series wins comes to an end at 32, as the Chaparrals fell 24-14 to Oklahoma Christian University Saturday afternoon at Hays Field.  OC took two of three games from the Chaps marking the first time LCU has lost a SAC series since April of 2006 against Oklahoma Baptist University, and it is the first conference series loss at home since losing three of four games to Oklahoma City University in April of 2004, ending the home streak at 21 consecutive conference series wins.

Teams combined for 38 runs and 39 hits in the game, which marks the most combined runs in a game for LCU since a 27-17 win over Oklahoma Baptist on April 18, 2003. 

Oklahoma Christian wasted no time scoring first and working Chaps starting pitcher Tanner Vickers out of the game in the first inning.  The last time Vickers faced the Eagles in Lubbock was in 2008 and he allowed one run on two hits in six innings for the win.  He would not have the same success Saturday, as he lasted just 2/3 of the first inning.  Vickers faced eight batters and allowed five runs off four hits.  Only two of the runs were earned, as a pair of errors by shortstop David Cruz on misplayed pop-ups prolonged the Eagles half of the opening inning.  OC would end up scoring five runs in the inning.

LCU answered back with a two-out bases-loaded two-run single by Reid Chenworth to cut the deficit to 5-2.  After five hits in the opening inning for LCU, a comeback seemed promising, but the Eagles struck right back in the second inning.  Shane Ingram, who replaced Vickers in the first inning, couldn’t get out of the second inning after giving up two runs on two hits to the Eagles.  The Chaps matched the Eagles half with singles from Joe Staley and Dan Neumann scoring a run each, but the Chaps couldn’t match an eight-run third inning by the Eagles.  LCU pitcher Hunter Scott suffered the brunt of the Eagles damage in the inning by surrendering seven runs off five hits.

The Chaps were held off the board in the third inning and trailed 15-4 after three innings.  The Eagles had another explosive inning in the fifth inning with Joe White and Dillon Andrews hitting back-to-back triples serving as two of six hits in the inning leading to a six-run inning and a 22-7 lead.  LCU did rally by combining for 10 runs in the fourth inning through the sixth innings and trailed 22-14 heading into the seventh inning.  LCU reliever Kyle Wagner allowed a pair of singles in the seventh inning and walked a batter to load the bases with no outs.  Doug Kroll came into pitch and was able to hold the Eagles to a sacrifice fly and a run-scoring ground out before picking off Dillon Andrews to close the top of the seventh.  Justin Ebert retired the Chaps in order and it not only activated the run-rule, but he garnered the “two-inning” save since the game went seven innings and he pitched 2.1 innings of relief.

Dustin Andrews came away as the winning pitcher for OC (3-1).  He allowed 12 runs, but only five were earned.  Andrews pitched 4 2/3 innings and gave up 13 hits.  Of the 39 combined hits in the game, 11 were for extra bases, but there was only one home run in the game.  Neumann hit a two-run homer in the fourth inning for his third home run of the season.  Twenty-two of the hits were by OC. Taylor Parcus (4-for-4) and Tyler Gipson (4-for-6) each had four hits in the game for the Eagles.  They were two of eight players that had multi-hit performances.  Jeff Davis produced a game-high five runs-batted-in for the Eagles.  On the losing end, five Chaps had multi-hit performances.  Staley was 4-for-5 with four runs-batted-in and Neumann was 3-for-3 with four runs-batted-in.

Lubbock Christian went through seven pitchers in the game, with no one lasting longer than 1 1/3 innings.  The 24 runs allowed marked the most since allowing 24 against Oklahoma City University on May 6, 2004. The LCU pitchers combined for ten strikeouts and ten walks.  Each team committed four errors in the game.

Oklahoma Christian improved to 10-7 overall and 6-3 in the SAC with the win.  They were just 22-2 all-time in Lubbock entering the series.  LCU falls to 18-9 overall and 6-3 in the conference.  The Chaps head to Claremore, Okla. Thursday for a 2 p.m. doubleheader against Rogers State University.