05-25-09 (box score)

Lubbock Christian uses six-run seventh to defeat Berry 11-5

Rodriguez and Johnson hit homers to outshine two-homer game from McCleary

LEWISTON, Idaho – Armando Rodriguez and Tyler Johnson both hit home runs and Lubbock Christian University (Texas) took advance of five Berry College (Ga.) errors to claim an 11-5 win at the 53^rd annual Avista NAIA World Series at Harris Field on Monday. 

Berry held a 4-3 lead in the contest after four inning, but the Chaps outscored the Vikings 8-1 the rest of the way to claim the win. 

The big inning was a six-run seventh inning that broke a 5-5 tie. LCU (49-7) sent 11 batters to the plate in the inning and used six hits and two errors for the big rally. All six runs and five of the six hits came with two outs. Dominguez started the scoring with an RBI single, while a throwing error on a grounder brought in two more runs. A dropped fly ball allowed the fourth run to score, while consecutive infield singles by Will Stramp and Ross Blondin completed the scoring. 

All six runs (one earned) came off Berry reliever Matthew McCalley (10-1), who had his scoreless streak of 34.2 consecutive innings come to an end. He had not allowed a run to score since March 29. 

The two teams seemed content to go toe-to-toe with the long ball early. Lubbock Christian scored singles runs in the first three innings for 3-0 lead as Stramp grounded out to score a run in the first, while Johnson had a solo home run in the second and an RBI single in the third. 

Berry (46-15) scored four runs in the fourth. Jarrett Northcutt started the scoring with a solo home run, while Tye McCleary hit a three-run blast, this one to straight away center field for a 4-3 Berry lead. 

Stramp tripled and scored on a ground out by Rob Learned in the fifth to tie the game, and LCU took the lead in the sixth when Dominguez hit his third home run of the tournament and 14^th on the season. 

Berry tied the game in the top of the seventh when McCleary went deep for the second time in the game and the eighth time this season. All five Berry runs were scored on home runs. 

Stramp and Dominguez finished with three hits and two RBI apiece for the Chaps. Johnson added two hits and two RBI, while Blondin added two hits. 

McCleary went 2-for-4 with four RBI for Berry.