PORTALES, N.M. – After honoring its seven seniors prior to Sunday's home finale, the Eastern New Mexico University baseball team pounded out 10 runs in the seventh and eighth inning, leading to a 11-7 win over 11^th-ranked Angelo State. With the win, ENMU improves to 29-17 overall and 7-11 in Lone Star Conference play.
 
ENMU's seven seniors made key contributions in the win. On the mound, senior pitchers combined for 7.2 innings with six hits, four runs (three earned) and seven strikeouts between Scott Klein, Kyle Goldfarb and Dwight Velarde. At the plate, the group went 3-for-12 with four runs, three RBI and a walk scattered among Mike McNicholl, Jesus Villalobos, Zach Smithson and Matt Garley.
 
Overall, Alex DeLaCruz, Garlind Webster, Chris Padilla and McNicholl turned in multi-RBI games, while DeLaCruz blasted a home run and stole two bags. Velarde earned the win, going 1.2 innings and striking out a pair. Junior Aidin Hernandez earned his second save of the season after inducing a game-ending double play in the ninth.
 
After falling behind 2-1 in the seventh, the Green and Silver pushed across seven runs in the bottom of the inning, aided in large part by four errors from the Rams. Christian Sanchez worked a nine-pitch walk as a pinch-hitter to start the frame. Nicholas Ankerman laid down a bunt when the Rams tried to cut down Malcom Smith, a pinch-runner, at second, but an errant throw allowed Smith to dive in safely. Zach Shank then proceeded to lay down another sacrifice bunt, but another wild throw to first allowed Smith to trot home and tie the game easily.
 
With two runners in scoring position, DeLaCruz hit a high chopper to third, leading to the Rams' third baseman firing an erratic toss to the plate, to give the Greyhound the lead for good. Endy Villalona followed with a walk to load the bases. McNicholl delivered the biggest hit of the afternoon, lining a shot to left to plate two. Webster dropped down a sacrifice bunt, perfectly placed down the third base line, that ASU could not turn into an out as the pitcher elected to throw to third, again loading the bases. Padilla delivered a two-run single into left before Smith capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly to center.
 
In the eighth, the Hounds added three more runs, highlighted by DeLaCruz's leadoff jack down the line in left. Webster delivered a two-run single back through the box, stretching the lead to 11-4.
 
Things got a little hairy for Eastern in the top of the ninth. After loading the bases with no outs on a pair of walks and a hit-by-pitch, Jay Gonzalez picked up a two-run single to right before the Rams would again load the bases on a single. Hernandez came into the game with the tying run on deck. The southpaw induced a groundout to second that ENMU was unable to turn a double play on, but the following pitch, got a ground ball to third that the Green and Silver were able to turn two on and close out the game.
 
The Greyhounds are idle this coming weekend before heading to Odessa for the final series of the regular season against Texas-Permian Basin. For all the latest news on ENMU athletics, follow @ENMUBaseball and @ENMUAthletics on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.