Saturday, March 07, 2015
CANYON, TEXAS — In the second day of a four game series between Eastern New Mexico University's baseball team (5-9, 1-2 LSC) and West Texas A&M University (11-8, 3-4 LSC) the two teams split the doubleheader and gave the fans another exciting game.
With the Greyhounds taking the most lopsided victory of the series in the first game of the day, the Buffaloes couldn't withstand an offensive onslaught in the sixth inning where Eastern put up seven runs to win the game 9-2.
The second part of the doubleheader was much more like Friday's game, where the two teams traded blows and leads back and forth, with West Texas finally coming out on top 9-8.
The Greyhounds will finish their series with West Texas Sunday with the first pitch thrown at 12:00 p.m. (MST).
GAME ONEAfter hitting three home runs in the Greyhound's first four games,
Blake Cooper (Sr., Long beach, Calif. / Long beach Wilson HS / Golden West College) hit one deep to center field against West Texas in the sixth, driving in three runs and increasing Eastern's lead to eight.
Cooper has recorded four home runs this season, already on pace to break his career-record of eight last season. The senior leads the team in home runs, with three other Greyhounds sitting at two homeruns apiece.
Cody Pope (Sr., Kingman, Ariz. / Williston State College) earned the win, pitching all seven innings and only giving up six hits and two earned runs. The Greyhound Ace was very efficient on the mound, only allowing seven Buffaloes to reach base. Pope now has a 2.39 ERA and a 3-1 record.
As much offense as the Greyhounds produced in the game, only one player had multiple hits, with
Chris Sanders (Sr., Murrieta, Calif. / Palomar College) recording two hits and one RBI. Sanders now has 14 hits in 39 at bats with a batting average of .359 and an on base percentage of .390.
GAME TWOThe second contest of the doubleheader was no blowout like the first, with both teams producing offense from the plate at a high pace and neither holding a lead for long. There were six lead changes in five innings, with the Buffaloes finally coming out on top 9-8.
West Texas scored the first run in the bottom of the first which was followed by a two run inning in the top of the second by Eastern. The Buffaloes quickly tied the game, but the Greyhounds again took a one run lead.
The Buffaloes then had a big three-run inning in the third, putting them on top once again by a score of 5-3. Both teams found even more offense in the fourth inning, starting with
Clyde Kendrick (Jr., Vicksburg, Miss. / Holmes CC) single and followed by five more hits for the Greyhounds to give them four runs.
Not to be outdone, West Texas quickly answered with four runs of their own. A single run by the greyhounds in the sixth inning was the last score of the day as the Buffaloes held on for the one run win.
Cooper again showed the Lone Star Conference why he is a feared batter, driving in two runs in the game and recording two hits in the contest.
Chad Highberger (Sr., Concord, Calif. / Los Medanos College), making only his fifth appearance of the season, tied his career-high with three hits on the night to lead all batters.
Highberger also led all batters on the night with three RBIs. This was his first game of the season where he recorded multiple hits and RBIs, now totaling four hits and four RBIs in 11 at bats.
Kiegan Basso (So., Peoria, Ariz. / Centennial HS) pitched well for Eastern in the loss, pitching two innings and recording one hit and one earned run. Basso now has a 4.22 ERA in 10.2 innings pitched.
