Lubbock Christian (7-5, 7-5 LSC) vs. St. Mary’s (7-2, 7-2 LSC)
Friday, Feb. 21 – 3 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 22 – 2 p.m. (DH)
Sunday, Feb. 23 – 1 p.m.
Dickson Stadium – San Antonio, Texas
The weather has turned chilly in Texas, even in sunny San Antonio. But the Lubbock Christian baseball team, known as the Chaps, is heating up. They’ve won seven out of their last eight games, pulling their record to 7-5 overall and in Lone Star Conference play. The team shines with standout performances from All-Americans. Brevin McCool is making headlines by leading the nation with nine home runs and batting an impressive .520. Jacob Gutierrez isn’t far behind, hitting .429 and boasting a .559 on-base percentage. On the pitching side, Ryan Markwardt stands out with a 2-1 record and a 3.31 ERA over 16.1 innings pitched.
Last week, Markwardt was honored as the Lone Star Conference and National Pitcher of the Week. He delivered a remarkable complete game shutout against Oklahoma Christian, allowing just one hit and striking out nine batters. He’s been a force on the mound, limiting opponents to a .153 batting average.
Offensively, the Chaparrals are leading the nation in a number of key categories this season: hits (172), runs (151), and home runs (22). They’re also shining in batting average (.392) and on-base percentage (.482). Shea Bowen tops the nation with 14 walks, while McCool leads in hits (26), home runs (9), runs (24), and total bases (63). Gutierrez has been hot too, hitting .688 against Oklahoma Christian and maintaining a .479 average this season. Overall, the team excels with a .394 average when runners are in scoring position.
A secret to the Chaps’ success has been their leadoff hitters. They’ve been reaching base nearly half the time, hitting .489 in leadoff opportunities. Adam Garcia is particularly impressive, reaching base 75% of the time in his few appearances. Kade York has taken on leadoff duties with a solid .438 on-base percentage after 16 chances.
The pitching rotation against Oklahoma Christian featured Markwardt, Evan Roach, Lex Garcia, and Tate Thompson. Roach shined in his latest outing, allowing just three earned runs in 4.2 innings with three strikeouts. Thompson made his debut but had a tough time, allowing five runs. In the same series, Cadon Everett performed well in relief, allowing just one run in three innings. For St. Mary’s, their rotation is expected to include Kaleb Guana, Gabe Cook, Javier De Alejandro, and Hagen Rose.
Lubbock Christian has been strong with caught steals, allowing the fewest stolen bases in the league at .733. Catchers Adam Garcia and Ryan Blackwell have combined to catch eight runners, just behind Texas A&M International. Garcia has caught four, while Blackwell has caught three. Both have allowed a few stolen bases, but their ability to hold runners is commendable.
Looking at statistics, WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched) is a vital measure of a pitcher’s performance. Markwardt and Logan Moore both boast a WHIP of 0.55, indicating their effectiveness. A WHIP close to 1.00 is considered elite in professional baseball.
Several players are on impressive streaks. Bowen has reached base in every game this season, while McCool has only missed one game. Gutierrez has hit safely in ten straight games. McCool leads the team in multi-hit games and is the only player with multiple four-hit games. He’s also leading in multi-RBI games with seven, including two games where he drove in five runs.
Since its founding in 1971, the Lubbock Christian baseball program has established itself as a powerful contender. They’ve played 3,408 games, achieving 2,288 wins. Under head coach Nathan Blackwood, who has led the team for the last 20 seasons, they posted an impressive 805-372 record.
It’s also opening week for MLB spring training! Former Chaps are making their mark in the majors. Buck Britton is now a major league coach for the Baltimore Orioles after managing their Triple-A team. Wigberto Nevarez, a former catcher at LCU, is in his eighth coaching season and continues with the Gwinnett Stripers, the Braves’ Triple-A team.
Lubbock Christian and St. Mary’s have faced each other 59 times since their first matchup in 1978. The Chaps lead the series 33-26, winning eight of the last ten encounters. Last season, LCU swept St. Mary’s, but they split their last series in San Antonio.
Here’s a quick look at the Rattlers:
Friday, Feb. 21 – 3 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 22 – 2 p.m. (DH)
Sunday, Feb. 23 – 1 p.m.
Dickson Stadium – San Antonio, Texas
The weather has turned chilly in Texas, even in sunny San Antonio. But the Lubbock Christian baseball team, known as the Chaps, is heating up. They’ve won seven out of their last eight games, pulling their record to 7-5 overall and in Lone Star Conference play. The team shines with standout performances from All-Americans. Brevin McCool is making headlines by leading the nation with nine home runs and batting an impressive .520. Jacob Gutierrez isn’t far behind, hitting .429 and boasting a .559 on-base percentage. On the pitching side, Ryan Markwardt stands out with a 2-1 record and a 3.31 ERA over 16.1 innings pitched.
Last week, Markwardt was honored as the Lone Star Conference and National Pitcher of the Week. He delivered a remarkable complete game shutout against Oklahoma Christian, allowing just one hit and striking out nine batters. He’s been a force on the mound, limiting opponents to a .153 batting average.
Offensively, the Chaparrals are leading the nation in a number of key categories this season: hits (172), runs (151), and home runs (22). They’re also shining in batting average (.392) and on-base percentage (.482). Shea Bowen tops the nation with 14 walks, while McCool leads in hits (26), home runs (9), runs (24), and total bases (63). Gutierrez has been hot too, hitting .688 against Oklahoma Christian and maintaining a .479 average this season. Overall, the team excels with a .394 average when runners are in scoring position.
A secret to the Chaps’ success has been their leadoff hitters. They’ve been reaching base nearly half the time, hitting .489 in leadoff opportunities. Adam Garcia is particularly impressive, reaching base 75% of the time in his few appearances. Kade York has taken on leadoff duties with a solid .438 on-base percentage after 16 chances.
The pitching rotation against Oklahoma Christian featured Markwardt, Evan Roach, Lex Garcia, and Tate Thompson. Roach shined in his latest outing, allowing just three earned runs in 4.2 innings with three strikeouts. Thompson made his debut but had a tough time, allowing five runs. In the same series, Cadon Everett performed well in relief, allowing just one run in three innings. For St. Mary’s, their rotation is expected to include Kaleb Guana, Gabe Cook, Javier De Alejandro, and Hagen Rose.
Lubbock Christian has been strong with caught steals, allowing the fewest stolen bases in the league at .733. Catchers Adam Garcia and Ryan Blackwell have combined to catch eight runners, just behind Texas A&M International. Garcia has caught four, while Blackwell has caught three. Both have allowed a few stolen bases, but their ability to hold runners is commendable.
Looking at statistics, WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched) is a vital measure of a pitcher’s performance. Markwardt and Logan Moore both boast a WHIP of 0.55, indicating their effectiveness. A WHIP close to 1.00 is considered elite in professional baseball.
Several players are on impressive streaks. Bowen has reached base in every game this season, while McCool has only missed one game. Gutierrez has hit safely in ten straight games. McCool leads the team in multi-hit games and is the only player with multiple four-hit games. He’s also leading in multi-RBI games with seven, including two games where he drove in five runs.
Since its founding in 1971, the Lubbock Christian baseball program has established itself as a powerful contender. They’ve played 3,408 games, achieving 2,288 wins. Under head coach Nathan Blackwood, who has led the team for the last 20 seasons, they posted an impressive 805-372 record.
It’s also opening week for MLB spring training! Former Chaps are making their mark in the majors. Buck Britton is now a major league coach for the Baltimore Orioles after managing their Triple-A team. Wigberto Nevarez, a former catcher at LCU, is in his eighth coaching season and continues with the Gwinnett Stripers, the Braves’ Triple-A team.
Lubbock Christian and St. Mary’s have faced each other 59 times since their first matchup in 1978. The Chaps lead the series 33-26, winning eight of the last ten encounters. Last season, LCU swept St. Mary’s, but they split their last series in San Antonio.
Here’s a quick look at the Rattlers:
- They have the fourth-best team ERA in the conference at 3.97, with opponents hitting just .236 against them.
- Tied for second-fewest home runs in the LSC with only four.
- Recently played a high-scoring game against Our Lady of the Lake, winning 11-10.
- Seven pitchers boast a 0.00 ERA, led by Hagen Rose, who hasn’t allowed an earned run in 12 innings.
- Frank Kellner is in his second season as head coach, with an overall record of 27-31.
India
From India to Australia: How One Commentator Found Their True Sense of Belonging