Eastern New Mexico University

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Eastern New Mexico University

4/11/2026 | 1 P.M.


Apr. 11 (Sat) / 1 P.M.


 Eastern New Mexico University

History

LUBBOCK, Texas (April 10, 2026) – Errors featured heavily in the doubleheader Friday between Lubbock Christian and Eastern New Mexico as the Chaps dropped game one 6-5 before winning game two 9-6.
 
The Chaps were out-hit 19-16 in the two games but had twice the number of extra-base hits as the Greyhounds as the two teams combined for six errors on the day.
 
LCU is now 22-18 on the season, while ENMU is 15-25.
 
GAME ONE
Hudson Grace got the scoring going when he tripled to deep center field in the bottom of the first inning, setting the stage for Jorge De Los Santos’ sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Grace and giving Lubbock Christian a 1-0 lead.
 
In the second inning, they added to that lead as Owen Alsup was hit by a pitch, and Freddie Nolen singled through the left side. A balk advanced both runners, allowing Roe Forrest to drive in Alsup with an infield single. A sacrifice fly from Dylan Marx brought home Nolen, extending the Chaparrals’ lead to 3-0 through two innings.
 
Eastern New Mexico got on the scoreboard when they capitalized on two Chaps errors in the fourth inning. Eiji Sawamura scored on a double play, and Cole Curtis scored on a wild pitch, reducing the lead to 3-2. Sawamura then delivered a two-run single in the fifth, putting the visitors ahead 4-3.
 
Lubbock Christian came a fraction of an inch away from tying the game up in the bottom of the fifth, when Grace hammered a ball of the batter’s eye. The carom sent him all the way to third and, trying for an inside-the-park home run, he was tagged out on a close play at the plate.
 
The sixth inning saw Eastern New Mexico’s Jake Willerup hit a solo home run, extending their lead to 5-3, and they scored another unearned run in the top of the seventh to lead by three.
 
That run proved important, as in the bottom of the seventh Forrest hit a ground-rule double and later scored on a throwing error. Kyle Lewis singled through the left side, driving in Aaron Morales, who was pinch-running, to make the score 6-5, but Grace grounded out to end the Chap comeback effort.
 
Isaiah Gonzalez delivered a solid relief performance, pitching 1 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run while striking out three and giving up just one hit. He entered the game in the sixth inning and threw 22 pitches, 14 of which were strikes, demonstrating effective control. Karson Dunn, who started the game, pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing six hits and five runs, though only three were earned. Dunn struck out four batters and threw 74 pitches, with 53 strikes, but also surrendered one home run and one walk.
 
GAME TWO
ENMU got on the board first in the nightcap, scoring a pair of runs off LCU starter Aaron Rubio in the top of the second. But in the bottom half, the Chaparrals capitalized on an error and a wild pitch to tie the game before  Grace doubled to right center, driving in two runs and completing a four-run inning.
 
The third inning saw the Greyhounds’ Cole Curtis hit a two-run homer, tying the game. However, Lubbock Christian responded again as Johnny Gomez III blooped a single down the right field line, bringing in two runs with assistance from an error. After three innings, the Chaps led 6-4.
 
Bats for both teams went quiet in the fourth and fifth as Caden Cline entered in relief for LCU and shut down ENMU. Lubbock Christian then extended its lead in the sixth inning as Jorge De Los Santos tripled down the right field line, scoring two, followed by Forrest’s RBI single. This offensive burst put the Chaparrals ahead 9-4 after six innings.
 
Cline pitched a 1-2-3 seventh to close out the win. The Lubbock native’s pitching was instrumental in maintaining the lead, as he recorded seven strikeouts in five innings without allowing any runs.
 
GAME NOTES


Grace had four hits in seven at-bats across the two games and all four went for extra bases for a slugging percentage of 1.429
Cline’s seven strikeouts are the most by a Chaparral pitcher in relief this season, surpassing the six Kyle England had against St. Edward’s on March 7. The last time an LCU reliever had more than seven was April 28, 2024, when Coleson Abel struck out eight ENMU batters
With three more stolen bases on the day, LCU now has 86 on the year. They are one shy of matching the 2024 team’s mark of 87, which is the most by a Chaparral team in the NCAA era
ENMU started left-handers in both games of the day, making the Chaps 4-8 this season in games started by southpaws

 
NEXT UP
Lubbock Christian and Eastern New Mexico will meet again at Hays Field for a single game at 1 p.m. on Saturday, weather permitting. Follow @lcu_baseball for any updates.
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