CANYON, TEXAS —Facing Angelo State's (33-18) closer in the top of the ninth inning,
Nicholas Ankerman and
Zach Shank had back-to-back hits as the Eastern New Mexico University baseball team (24-23) charged to a 7-4 lead. The Greyhounds held on in the bottom of the inning and earned the first postseason win in program history.
What it Means
- The game was the 1,259th in program history and the 483rd win
- ENMU is 1-2 in the LSC Tournament and has led in the last two tournament games
- The win was Head Coach David Gomez's 108th at ENMU
In the Series
- The Hounds claimed their third win over Angelo State in the last four meetings, a feat last accomplished in 2015
- The win avenged a 10-4 decision in the 2009 tournament opener, in Abilene, Texas
- ENMU is 1-1 against the Rams in the LSC Tournament
On the Mound
- Enrique Perez delivered 5.1 quality innings and limited ASU to one run on four hits
- Levi Shandrew tossed three innings, fanned three and scattered five hits to improve to 2-0 and earn ENMU's first postseasaon win
- Keenan Dodd made his first relief appearance since February 4, 2017 and induced a game-ending double play to earn the first save of his career
- Shannon Broussard started for Angelo State and tossed 4.1 innings before giving way to Shane Browning
- Rholl suffered the loss and faced three batters in the ninth
Dramatic Rally
- Angelo State tied the game in the bottom of the eighth on a two-run blast from Brad Mathiowitz and plated a third run on a ground out from Jacob Boston to take a 4-3 lead
- All-Lone Star Conference closer Kellen Rholl entered the game in the top of the ninth
- Centerfielder Malcolm Smith led off with a single through the left side of the infield
- Rholl had Ankerman 0-2 after a pair of bunt attempts to advance the tying run
- After working the count 2-2, Ankerman crushed a game-tying RBI double to right centerfield
- Zach Shank followed with a RBI single to give the Hounds the lead
- Alex DeLaCruz and Endy Villalona followed with RBI singles to give ENMU a 7-4 lead
Earlier in the Game
- Villalona drew a one-out walk in the top of the third and advanced when Eurick Perez was struck by a pitch
- Julian Heredia's single to left field staked the Hounds to a 1-0 lead
- After a wild pitch advanced the runners, Perez came home on a passed ball to give ENMU a 2-0 lead
- Mathiowetz delivered a one-out RBI single in the Ram sixth to cut ENMU's lead to 2-1
- Shank led off the Greyhound seventh with a walk and took second on a wild pitch
- When he stole third base, Shank forced an errant throw by catcher Alex Salcido, which allowed him to score to extend the lead to 3-1
- Angelo State's first three batters reached and scored in the eighth, with Mathiowetz's homer tying the game
Up Next
- The Eastern New Mexico University baseball team will play top-seeded West Texas A&M on Friday in the LSC Tournament semifinals
- The contest at Wilder Park is scheduled for 6 p.m. MT