Walkoff HR boosts Chaps past ENMU

LUBBOCK — Lubbock Christian is probably the best-hitting team in Lone Star Conference baseball, and the Chaparrals can also play defense.

Those items showed up big as the 23rd-ranked Chaps managed to post a series win on Sunday, edging Eastern New Mexico University 13-12 on a walkoff home run by sophomore left fielder Eduardo Acosta leading off the bottom of the ninth.

In taking three of four, the Chaparrals (27-11, 25-11 LSC) outhomered the Hounds 10-1 and turned five double plays to none for ENMU (15-21, 14-20).

Two of those twin killings came on Sunday, as did five home runs. First baseman Luis Navarro knocked in six runs with a pair of three-run shots, giving him 10 for the season.

LCU leads the conference in long balls by a wide margin with 62. By contrast, freshman designated hitter Spencer Roach’s two-run shot in ENMU’s three-run first was only the team’s 10th of the season — matching Navarro and three behind Chaps senior Larry Leitha, the LSC home run leader.

Sophomore Dalton Thatcher recovered from a four-run Chaps first to blank LCU through the fifth. Leading 7-4 in the sixth, he surrendered a one-out, two-run homer to right fielder Brevan McCool before giving way to right-hander Tommy Perez, who was pelted for two more homers during LCU’s seven-run rally.

Trailing 12-7, the Hounds pulled close on two-run singles by Roach and catcher Andres Quintana in the eighth, and tied it on second baseman Dax Edmonds’ one-out RBI double in the ninth.

Roach and center fielder Camden Matthews had four hits apiece for the Hounds, who collected 16 knocks for the second game in a row. Junior third baseman George Mendazona had four of LCU’s 17 safeties.

The Hounds return to Greyhound Field 2this weekend for a four-game series against seventh-ranked Angelo State, beginning with a 6 p.m. single game on Thursday.

Lubbock Christian 20-1, ENMU 2-16 (Saturday) — Freshman left-hander Ruger Bravo has suddenly turned into the Hounds’ most reliable pitcher.

Bravo, whose earned run average for the season is still north of 7.00, has posted seven-inning Saturday complete games in four of his last five starts with an earned run average barely over 3.00 in that time, and the Hounds have won all five of them.

After LCU whacked four home runs in its first-game rout, ENMU chased Chaps starter Shandon Herrera (4-3) before he was even able to get an out in the nightcap. The Hounds scored seven runs in that inning, and put the game completely out of reach with an eight-run eruption in the sixth.

Bravo (5-3) allowed just six hits, walked one and struck out seven in a 109-pitch outing. He gave up a leadoff triple to Acosta followed by a sacrifice fly from junior George Mendazona to start the bottom of the first, but shut out the Chaps the rest of the way.

Meantime, sophomore twins Braeton and Camden Matthews combined to go 7-for-11 with five RBIs. Braeton Matthews tied personal bests by collecting four hits and driving in three runs.

Roach knocked in five runs, three on a first-inning double and two on a sixth-inning single. The Chaps uncharacteristically added to their woes by committing four errors.

The win snapped a seven-game Hounds losing streak to LCU, dating to 2015, and was their first road win over the Chaps since 2002.

In the opener, former ENMU right-hander Ethan Coombes (5-2) tossed a two-hitter and enjoyed plenty of run support. LCU did its scoring on 10 hits, taking full advantage of 11 walks, five hit batsmen and five wild pitches from four Hounds hurlers.

Four of the Chaps’ hits left the yard, including a grand slam by catcher Jarred Gibson in a nine-run second.

Lubbock Christian 5, ENMU 3 (Friday) — The Hounds built a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning, including two in the first on four consecutive two-out hits, before LCU rallied back.

Leitha’s two-run homer tied the game in the fifth. Then in the sixth, Acosta hit a run-scoring single and came around on a double by Mendazona.

Junior right-hander Tyler Hardwick (3-1) went six innings for the win, and sophomore right-hander Koi Carrillo worked the final three frames for his first save of the campaign.