Box Score
ABILENE, Texas – It wasn't quite Joe DiMaggio, but it was a great ride for
Jake Mullin. Mullin's hitting streak ended at 19 games Tuesday night when McMurry took a beating from the No. 7-ranked NAIA team in the nation as Lubbock Christian defeated McMurry University 25-4 at Walt Driggers Field.
Mullin went 0 for 4 with an RBI ground out but couldn't take his hit streak to 20 games as McMurry played its final non-conference game of the season. In the previous 19 games, Mullin hit 40 for 71 (.563) at the plate, scored 26 runs and drove in 31 runs.
Tuesday was a night to forget for McMurry's team as LCU's 25 runs marked just the fifth time in school history that McMurry surrendered more than 18 runs. Three of those five occurrences have taken place in the 2010 season and two of the three instances this season were at the hands of LCU. Feb. 24, the Chaparrals scored 26 runs in a 26-8 victory.
Tuesday night, LCU scored four runs in the top of the first to get things started, however, McMurry countered with a two-run home run from
Dylan De Leon in the bottom half to cut the lead to 4-2. After a scoreless second, the floodgates opened with the Chaps scoring in every inning but the seventh and LCU scored seven runs apiece in the fifth and eighth innings.
By the end of the night LCU had five doubles and three home runs to accompany a hit total of 21. McMurry suffered a season-high eight errors in the field and managed just nine hits.
Richard Bohlken led the Chaps with four RBI and his team-leading 15th home run while Rafeal Thomas, Doug Kroll and Dan Neumann all drove in three runs apiece as well.
Both teams used a pitcher by committee system with LCU using six pitchers and McMurry using six as well. LCU's Tristan Gaines picked up the win as the first reliever for the Chaps. Tanner Vickers, Shane Ingram, Hunter Scott and Kroll combined for the last four innings out of the bullpen to hold McMurry to just two hits and the home team went scoreless.
Chism Cope picked up the loss on the mound for McMurry to fall to 0-1 and every McMurry pitcher gave up at least one hit and one run.
LCU improved to 32-10 on the season while McMurry fell to 19-18. McMurry's shot at a seventh-consecutive American Southwest Conference postseason tournament will be determined by its final three-game series with cross-town rival Hardin-Simmons Friday and Saturday at Walt Driggers Field. The first game Friday is scheduled for 7 p.m. followed by Saturday's doubleheader scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.
