Top seed takes all the suspense out of matchup with OCU in 14-4 romp
of the Tribune
When the list of qualifiers was finalized, one potential matchup stood out from the others. If there was one NAIA World Series encounter an objective, nonaligned fan wanted to behold, it was Chaparrals vs. Stars.
Well, we witnessed it Wednesday. As highly anticipated showdowns go, there wasn’t much to see.
Lubbock Christian immediately removed drama from the equation, scoring five times in the first inning en route to a 14-4 drubbing of archrival Oklahoma City at Harris Field.
The Chaps move to 50-8 and into the title round, where they will need to beat Point Loma Nazarene twice if they are to claim the program’s second national championship.
The first step in this two-tier process comes tonight at 7.
The Stars were flummoxed from the get-go in Wednesday’s pairing of Sooner Athletic Conference adversaries, not to mention the Series’ top two seeds. Not even a two-run gift in their half of the second (right fielder Tanner Rindels inexplicably dropped a routine fly that should have been the final out) could save them from what turned into their worst-ever Series defeat.
“They’re not No. 1 for nothing, that’s for sure,” Oklahoma City coach Denney Crabaugh after the Stars accepted third-place recognition for the second consecutive year (they will actually share third with Lee). “… You can’t go out there and spot them a lead because when you do, they get aggressive and things go their way.”
While the Chaps continually added to their offensive totals, scoring in each of the first four innings and tacking on three runs in the sixth, Jakob Cunningham (8-2) prohibited Oklahoma City from doing anything remotely comparable. The senior right-hander limited the Stars’ fearsome lineup to six singles over his seven-inning start, yielding just one walk and the two unearned runs with striking out eight.
“We’ve seen them enough and we know what they’re capable of,” Cunningham said. “Playing Oke City, you know it’s going to be a challenge. You just have to do your best to contain them and hope your own guys go get you some runs.”
The Chaps were promptly successful in doing that, batting through their order in the first and chasing OCU starter Justin Harper (9-3) just five hitters into the game. The flurry included three hits, among them Will Stramp’s 25th home run, a solo shot to center field, and Armando Dominguez’s two-run single.
Michael Learned added a two-run single in the second, and Tyler Johnson’s 16th home run, a solo drive to left with one down in the fourth, made it 9-2.
“We knew that with five runs, it wasn’t going to be enough. So we just kept hitting that ball,” said Dominguez, who finished with three hits and as many RBI. “Even when it’s the ninth inning, and we’re up by 10 … with these guys you never know.”
The Chaps, limited to seven hits in their 2-1 loss to Point Loma on Tuesday, bombarded the Stars with 16. The final one was Ross Blondin’s 24th homer, a two-run bolt to left-center in the ninth.
“We responded well (to the PLNU loss),” Lubbock Christians coach Nathan Blackwood said. “Anytime you can start a game off like we did it’s huge, and especially when you’re up against a really good team.”
The Chaps picked up their third win in four games against the Stars this spring. And for the fifth consecutive year, one of these rivals ended the other’s season — Oklahoma City closes out at 53-9.
“It’s good for the conference to have two teams playing this late in the tournament,” Blackwood said. “But now it’s just up to us.”
LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN OKLAHOMA CITY
ab r h bi ab r h bi
Armendrz cf 4 1 1 0 Walker ss 5 0 3 2
Rindels rf 3 0 0 2 Fisher 2b 0 0 0 0
Muse rf 2 0 0 0 Vitale dh 4 0 0 0
Stramp lf 6 3 3 1 Weaver 1b 3 0 0 1
Blondin 3b 4 3 2 2 Wheeler ss 5 0 0 0
Johnson c 5 1 2 1 Machado cf 5 1 1 0
Kazmrski lf 0 2 0 0 Moss rf 4 1 1 0
Neumann dh 4 2 1 2 Mann lf 4 1 0 0
Learned 2b 3 1 2 2 Camp 3b 4 1 2 0
Dominguez ss 5 0 3 3 Carman c 3 0 1 0
Merrell 2b 4 1 2 1 Grellner cr 0 0 0 0
Totals 40 14 16 14 Totals 37 4 8 3
Lubbock Christian 521 103 002—14 16 2
Oklahoma City 020 000 020— 4 8 2
Lubbock Christian ip h r er bb so
Cunninghm (W, 8-2) 7 6 2 0 1 8
Burns 0.2 2 2 2 3 0
Karnbach 1.1 0 0 0 0 2
Oklahoma City ip h r er bb so
Harper (L, 9-3) 0.1 1 4 4 3 0
Bugenis 1.2 5 3 3 3 1
Coplon 3.2 5 5 2 1 0
Riddle 3.1 5 2 2 1 1
———
Browitt may be contacted at jbrowitt@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2260.
Lubbock Christian 14
Oklahoma City 4
> STARS OF THE GAME
Chaps starter Jakob cunningham never allowed OCU to develop an offensive rhythm, limiting the Stars to six singles over seven innings while striking out eight.Armando dominguez keyed the Chaps’ 16-hit assault, driving in three runs on three hits. Will stramp also had three hits, among them his team-leading 25th home run.
> TURNING POINT
The LCU first inning was the beginning of the end for OCU. The Chaps sent 10 batters to the plate and scored five runs on three hits, three walks and a plunked batter. The Stars never had a chance.> QUOTE OF NOTE
They’re not No. 1 for nothing, that’s for sure.
— Oklahoma City coach
Denney Crabaugh, whose second-ranked Stars
lost three of four to
the Chaps this season.
