AUSTIN, Texas – In a battle between the top two home run-hitting teams in the Lone Star Conference, the Lubbock Christian Chaps used a 5-3 home run advantage to defeat St. Edward's baseball 12-6 to open the series.
Lubbock Christian plated two runs in the first, scoring on a wild pitch with runners on second and third and an RBI single from Chris Shull. The Chaps followed with their first of five home runs on the day in the second inning with a leadoff blast from Ryan Ball.
St. Edward's answered with a run scored in the second and third innings, getting an RBI single from TREVOR SEBEK to left field and a solo blast to centerfield from CULLEN AINSWORTH.
The Chaps extended their lead back to two with three singles in the fourth, including back-to-back hits from Caden Hensley and Carson Ogilvie with two outs and Ogilvie driving in Jarred Gibson. Nate Van Maanen hit his first of two home runs in the fifth with a solo blast to left field. Then, after a single and a walk, Hayden Blair drove in Gibson with an RBI single to left field for the 6-2 lead.
LANCE LITTLE responded with a two-run homer in the fifth, driving in CONNOR COX with a shot over the left-field fence to bring the Hilltoppers within two.
LUKE NEGRETE replaced starting pitcher WESLEY GAFFORD to start the sixth and walked the first two hitters before exiting the game for NICOLAS DAVIS. Davis retired the next three hitters, with Ogilvie scoring on a sacrifice fly hit by Van Maanen.
St. Edward's appeared to seize momentum in the seventh with a three-up, three-down defensive inning and another two-run blast from Little, the reigning LSC Hitter of the Week, to pull within 7-6.
The Hilltoppers were on a roll after a double play for two quick outs in the eighth, getting a spectacular catch in centerfield by Drewek Davis and throw back to first. However, things quickly unraveled, with Lubbock Christian scoring four runs on three homers before COLIN JACKSON took the mound to get out of the inning.
Van Maanen wrapped up a prolific performance with an RBI single to left in the ninth, finishing 3-for-5 with two home runs, five RBIs, and two runs scored.
Little led St. Edward's with four RBIs and two runs scored on a 2-for-4 performance. Cox had a team-high three hits with two runs scored. TREVOR SEBEK and MATTHEW GILES also had two hits, with Sebek adding an RBI.
St. Edward's drops to 30-8 with a 28-8 conference record after the loss. The Hilltoppers and Chaps will continue the series with a doubleheader tomorrow at noon.
