Lubbock Christian makes grab for momentum with 5-1 victory over Sea Lions, creating second title game
of the Tribune
Momentum is difficult to quantify and virtually impossible to project. Who’s to say Point Loma Nazarene lost it, or Lubbock Christian took it away?
No definitive details came out of Game 18 of the NAIA World Series. Everyone has their suspicions, based on the Chaparrals’ 5-1 victory Thursday night at Harris Field. But answers? Those will come today.
That’s because Lubbock Christian’s triumph, the sum of Rene Garcia’s complete-game effort on the mound and three home runs, has compelled what is commonly referred to as the if-necessary game. Point Loma Nazarene’s loss was its first of the double-elimination tournament, so the Sea Lions and Chaps must square off for a third time in four days — with a national championship hanging in the balance.
The Series finale gets under way at 7:05 this evening.
“We believe we’re the better team, and I’m sure they feel the same,” said LCU left fielder Will Stramp, whose team-leading 26th home run keyed Thursday’s only scoring outburst, the Chaps’ three-run third inning. “What it comes down to is somebody’s going to have to prove it tomorrow.”
Lubbock Christian’s statement, made before a crowd of 3,815, was presumably more emphatic than the one Point Loma Nazarene offered in the first meeting, a 2-1 Sea Lions win Tuesday.
Needing a victory to prevent Point Loma (45-12) from claiming its first NAIA title in any sport, the Chaps pushed around Andrew Bovich, saddling the senior left-hander with his first loss. And they got a seven-hit, five-strikeout gem from Garcia, who lost his shutout to an unearned run in the ninth.
“We came out in a tough situation and played very well,” LCU coach Nathan Blackwood said. “We were really disappointed with our offensive performance Tuesday, but they showed more what they’re about tonight.”
Especially in terms of long-ball expertise.
Armando Dominguez led off the LCU third with his 15th home run of the year, a towering shot down the left-field line. Then, with two down and a runner on, Stramp smashed a 2-1 Bovich delivery off the second tier of advertisements in left-center.
Rob Learned’s RBI double in the fourth made it 4-0, and Ross Blondin opened the eighth with his 25th HR, to right-center.
That was more than enough support for Garcia (11-1), who faced no more than five batters in any inning and gave up consecutive hits on only two occasions.
The second instance came in the ninth, when Wes Kartch singled and moved to second on a passed ball charged to Tyler Johnson. Tyler Kuehl followed with an RBI single.
“Garcia was great. He came right after us, attacked us and we weren’t ready for it,” Point Loma coach Joe Schaefer said.
More crucially, will the Sea Lions be ready tonight?
“We beat these guys already, so we know we can get to them,” PLNU first baseman Ian MacMaster said. “If we play Point Loma baseball they cannot beat us. We didn’t do that today.”
Curiously enough, several Chaparrals made similar comments Tuesday, suggesting that they had not played their brand of ball, or even to their capabilities.
But they viewed Thursday as a vindicating experience.
“This carries a lot of weight; all the guys are fired up,” Stramp said. “We’re grooving offensively, and now we’ve got momentum on our side.”
That, of course, is a matter of opinion. And it isn’t shared by anyone sporting Sea Lion Green.
LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN POINT LOMA
ab r h bi ab r h bi
Armendarz cf 5 0 2 0 Downing rf 4 0 0 0
Rindels rf 4 1 1 0 Miles lf 4 0 1 0
Stramp lf 5 1 1 2 Steinhr cr 2 0 0 0
Blondin 3b 5 1 1 1 McClery dh 4 0 0 0
Johnson c 2 0 0 0 MacMstr 1b 4 0 0 0
Kazmrski ph 1 1 1 0 Kartch 3b 4 1 2 0
Muse rf 0 0 0 0 Kuehl 3b 4 1 2 0
Nuemann dh 4 0 0 0 Cameron 2b 4 0 1 0
Soberans pr 0 0 0 0 Bernhrd c 1 0 0 0
Learned 1b 4 0 2 1 Winslow c 2 0 1 0
Cunninghm pr 0 0 0 0 Lippow cr 0 0 0 0
Dominguez ss 4 1 1 1
Merrell 2b 2 0 0 0
Totals 36 5 9 5 Totals 33 1 7 1
Lubbock Christian 003 100 010—5 9 0
Point Loma 000 000 001—1 7 2
Lubbock Christian ip h r er bb so
Garcia (W, 11-1) 9 7 1 0 1 5
Point Loma ip h r er bb so
Bovich (L, 13-1) 7 7 5 5 3 9
Houser 2 2 0 0 0 2
———
Browitt may be contacted at jbrowitt@lmtribune.com or (208) 848-2260.
Lubbock Christian 5
Point Loma 1
> STARS OF THE GAME
Chaps pitcher RENE GARCIA went the distance, allowing seven hits and one unearned run in the ninth. The right-handed junior stuck out five and walked one while tossing 123 pitches.
LCU got all the offense it needed in the third, when ARMANDO DOMINGUEZ lashed a leadoff homer — his fourth of the Series — and WILL STRAMP followed with a two-run blast.
Point Loma pitcher ANDREW BOVICH gave his club a chance to win, allowing seven hits in a seven-inning start.> LONG STREAK OVER
The Sea Lions had won their previous 20 games before this setback. Their last loss came on April 18.
> TWO-FOR-WHAT?
Only two of the last four teams in a two-for-one situation have claimed the Series championship. LCSC in 2007 and Cumberland in ’04 got it done with their first shot. Lee in ’08 and Oklahoma City in ’03 lost two games and settled for second. Both were vanquished by the Warriors.
