PORTALES, NM – The Eastern New Mexico University baseball team swept Tarleton State in both games of Saturday's double-header at Greyhound Field. ENMU won the first game 6-1 and held on to claim a 7-6 thriller in the nightcap. With the victories, the Greyhounds improve to 26-11 on the season and 4-5 in Lone Star Conference play.
 
In the first game, Garlind Webster and Mike McNicholl provided the offensive spark for the Greyhounds. The four and five-hole hitters combined to go 3-for-6 with two homers and four RBI to pace the offense. Starting pitcher Austin Paisar tossed a complete game, scattering four hits and five walks for just one run while fanning seven.
 
ENMU broke the scoring seal in the bottom of the third, racing out to a 2-0 lead. Zach Shank lined a one-out single up the middle before back-to-back walks to Alex DeLaCruz and Endy Villalona loaded the bases. Jesus Villalobos deposited a single into left to score a pair and stake the Greyhounds a 2-0 lead.
 
After the Texans cut into the lead on a solo homer off the bat of Jake Hasbrouck in the top of the fourth, the Green and Silver got the run back on McNicholl's leadoff blast to left, moving the score to 3-1.
 
In the fifth, ENMU extended the lead with a two-out rally. Villalona rifled a single through the right-side to keep the inning alive and Villalobos worked a four-pitch walk to put a pair aboard. Webster lifted a three-run dagger to left to increase the lead to 6-2.
 
In game two's action, DeLaCruz, Villalobos and McNicholl all logged multi-hit performances with Webster and McNicholl combining for four RBI. Keenan Dodd, the LSC reigning Pitcher of the Week, earned his sixth win of the season to improve to 6-1 while Dwight Velarde turned in a gutsy performance, earning his team-leading third save of the year.
 
After Tarleton took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, Eastern hung a four-spot on the Texans to claim a commanding lead. DeLaCruz, Villalona, Villalobos and Webster alternated walks and singles to load the bases. McNicholl followed with a two-run single to right center to take the lead. Chris Padilla singled through the left-side of the infield chased the Texans starter from the game.
 
ENMU would extend the lead in the bottom of the second on a two-run single from Webster before both pitching staffs settled in and kept both sides off the scoreboard.
 
In the fifth and sixth, the Texans would string together five runs, capped by Francisco Rodriguez's three-run home run in the sixth after Webster blasted a moonshot to left in the bottom of the fifth to cut the Greyhounds lead to one, 7-6.
 
With the game hanging in the balance, Velarde came up clutch in the top of the seventh. With one out, Velarde plunked Jose Reyes to put the tying run aboard. After a stolen base and a groundout to the right-side, Austin Call stepped into the box with the game-tying run 90-feet from the dish. Ahead in the count, 1-2, Velarde blew a fastball by Call to ice the game and secure the win for the Greyhounds.
 
The Greyhounds return to the diamond tomorrow for the series finale against Tarleton State. First pitch with the Texans is tabbed for 1 p.m. on Sunday.  For all the latest news on ENMU athletics, follow @ENMUBaseball and @ENMUAthletics on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.