Lubbock Christian ace Ryan Johnson shut down UAFS' normally red-hot bats as the Chaps beat the Lions 4-1 in the opening game of Friday's Heartland Conference series-opening doubleheader at Crowder Field.
Then, the Chaps capitalized on one big offensive inning to secure the series win, beating the Lions 8-4 in the second game to secure the series win.
UAFS (13-9, 0-2), which lost its first series of the spring, will try to avoid the series sweep on Saturday when the Lions play the Chaps (18-8, 2-0) in the series final at 11:30 a.m. at Crowder Field, weather permitting.
Johnson (7-0) wasn't perfect, but the crafty left-hander allowed only one run on four hits with three walks and, most importantly, 10 strikeouts in a complete-game effort. Lions right fielder
Brandan Warner went 1 for 3 and scored UAFS' only run on a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Lions ace
Javon Rigsby (2-3) suffered the complete-game loss, allowing four runs – three earned – on eight hits with one walk and eight strikeouts. Third baseman Braden Hayward was 3 for 4 with solo home run – his sixth – and three-RBIs. Catcher Andrew Pratt was 1 for 3 with one RBI.
UAFS carried a 4-3 lead going into the top of the seventh inning behind a solid outing by Lions starter
Christian Goshen. Goshen, though, gave up a single to Hayward to begin the seventh and was relieved by Lions reliever
Cooper Van Kooten.
Van Kooten, who logged several successful innings in long relief during last weekends' series win at Rogers State, gave up a two-run home run to right fielder Hill Alexander that gave the Chaps the lead.
Alexander's home run was his sixth home run and the Chaps' 33
rd of the season.
Lubbock Christian scored five runs off Van Kooten – four of which belonged to the sophomore right-hander – before reliever
Foster Pace got left fielder Chase Whetsel to ground out to shortstop to end the nine-batter inning.
Chaps catcher Dustin Austin delivered the second big-hit of the inning – a two-out, two-run double, while second baseman Eddy Vasquez had an RBI single.
Van Kooten (1-1), who leads the Lions' in saves (3), suffered the loss, allowing four earned runs on four hits with one walk over 2/3 innings. The Chaps collected 16 hits off the three Lions' pitchers with four extra-base hits.
Shortstop Andres Negron was 4 for 5, Alexander was 3 for 5 with a double, a home run and two RBIs, Hayward was 2 for 5 with one RBI, designated hitter Andrew Pratt was 1 for 4 with a double, Austin was 1 for 5 with a double and two RBIs and Vasquez was 2 for 5 with one RBI.
Chaps reliever Logan McCrummen (3-2), who was the last of three Chaps pitchers, earned the win, allowing no runs on two hits with four walks over four complete innings. Lions first baseman
Kyle Love was 2 for 3 with a home run – his fourth – and one RBI, and left fielder
Tremarcus Koontz was 2 for 3 with two doubles.
GAME ONE
HEARTLAND CONFERENCE
LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN 4, UAFS 1
Lubbock Christian 001 020 1 -- 4 8 2
UAFS 000 001 0 -- 1 4 3
Johnson and Pratt; Rigsby and Hurt. W – Johnson, 7-0. L – Rigsby, 2-3. HRs –LCU, Hayward (6); UAFS, Warner (1).
GAME TWO
HEARTLAND CONFERENCE
LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN 8, UAFS 4
Lubbock Christian 000 300 500 -- 8 16 2
UAFS 010 210 000 -- 4 7 1
Johnson, Lucia (5), McCrummen (6) and Austin; Goshen, Van Kooten (7), Pace (7) and Hurt. W – McCrummen, 3-2. L – Van Kooten, 1-1. HRs – LCU, Alexander (6); UAFS, Love (4).
