LAWTON, Okla. – The Eastern New Mexico University baseball team split the first two games of its four-game series with Cameron, winning the first 8-2, but falling in the second, 15-5. ENMU moves to 23-9 on the season and 2-4 in Lone Star Conference action after today's split.
In game one, starting pitcher
Keenan Dodd turned in a masterful performance on the mound, tossing a complete game, two hitter, in the 8-2 win over the Aggies. The right-hander retired 19-consecutive Cameron batters to end the game and did not allow a baserunner after the first inning while striking out eight. At the plate,
Gabriel Vargas went 2-for-2 with three RBI to pace the Hounds.
Cameron took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. Starting pitcher
Keenan Dodd surrendered a leadoff single to Leno Ramirez through the right side of the infield before a hit by pitch and bunt single from Cody Bower loaded the bases. Following a strikeout, Cody Knight was also hit by Dodd's first offering to bring home the first run before Bronson Pulgados beat out a would-be double play ball to drive home the second run of the frame.
ENMU wasted no time in answering the early runs from the Aggies. Michael McNicholl legged out an infield single to start the second and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from
Garlind Webster.
Zach Shank beat out an infield single to put runners on the corners with two outs.
Andrew Stubbs and Vargas rifled back-to-back singles down the right field line to drive home a pair and tie the game at two.
In the top of the third, ENMU took the lead for good, stringing together five runs on four hits.
Alex DeLaCruz singled back through the box to extend his on-base streak to 18 games to kick off the inning and then proceeded to steal second.
Endy Villalona followed with a single through the left side to put runners on the corners. McNicholl dropped down a safety squeeze to give the Hounds the lead for good before ENMU added four more runs in the frame to take a 7-2 lead.
In the second game, the Aggies chipped away at starter
Scott Klein in the second inning to plate a pair of runs. After back-to-back strikeouts, Klein gave up three-straight walks to load the bases before Victor DeJesus poked a single through the right side of the infield to break the scoring seal. A passed ball to the ensuing batter allowed the second run to score and give Cameron a 2-0 lead.
Cameron added two more in the bottom of the third to extend the lead to 4-0. Klein surrendered a leadoff walk to Adrian Rodriguez before Bower and Anthony Acevedo doubled and singled, respectively.
The Greyhounds got one run back in the top of the fourth to move the score to 4-1. McNicholl belted a one-out double to left. With two outs,
Paul Tapia smoked a ball into left to score McNicholl easily from second.
ENMU continued to chip away in the top of the fifth, mounting a two out rally to push across a pair.
Chris Padilla notched a single through the left side before DeLaCruz blasted a two-run bomb to left, cutting the deficit to one, 4-3.
The Green and Silver continued the rally in the top of the sixth to tie the game. Shank reached on a leadoff single to start the inning and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Following an error, Padilla laid down a safety squeeze bunt to bring the tying run home.
Cameron eventually responded to the rally by Eastern in the sixth and seventh. The Aggies pushed across three in the sixth and six in the seventh to close out the game.
The Greyhounds are back in action tomorrow at 10 a.m. for a twinbill with Cameron. For all the latest news on ENMU athletics, follow @ENMUBaseball and @ENMUAthletics on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
