PORTALES, N.M. – Eastern New Mexico baseball dropped the series opener against #15 West Texas A&M University, 16-5 (7 Inn.). The Hounds slip to 1-4 on the season, with the same record in LSC play. The Buffaloes stay perfect at 3-0, earning its first conference win of the campaign, 1-0.
 
The nationally ranked Buffs wasted no time, scoring the games first run to hold a 1-0 lead early. However, the Hounds bats started hot from the start. Two walks put runners on the base paths with two outs in the inning. Spencer Roach beat out an infield single, and smart base running from Camden Matthews brought home the first run for the Hounds. The next batter, Cooper Hamilton cleared the bases for a 2-RBI triple into the right center field gap, taking a 3-1 advantage after the first frame of the contest.
 
However, WT would respond immediately with 12 runs over the course of three innings. West Texas A&M regained the lead in the second inning, scoring four runs, 5-3 WT. Then added two runs in the third and six runs in the fourth stanza, 13-3 WT. In the fifth, the Buffs and the Hounds put up one run. Eastern profited off of back to back hits from Nyles Duren and Roach to bring home an Eastern run, 14-4 WT after five innings.
 
West Texas A&M plated two runs in the sixth, as the Hounds added a consolation in the bottom of the seventh. After Duren reached on a hit by pitch, Nick Schifftner came in to pinch hit. Schifftner split the gap in right center and stood on second base with a stand up double, scoring Duren. However, WT would end any hopes of an ENMU comeback with the contest finishing 16-5 WT after seven innings.

NOTABLE STATS

• Hamilton finished 3-3 on the evening with two RBI's. Duren and Roach each recorded two hits, with the latter having two RBI's.
• Schifftner gathered one RBI is his lone at bat. Matthew Kory picked up the other hit for the Greyhounds.
• Dalton Thatcher takes the loss, giving up seven runs (two earned runs) on eight hits and one walk.
• Stephen Rausa saw one inning of work, conceding six runs (all earned) on six hits. William McBride was on the bump for the later innings, completing three innings, and allowing three runs (none earned).
• Maddux Hoagland captures the win for the Buffs, giving up four runs in five innings pitched on seven hits.

FROM THE SOURCE

"After going up 3-1 early, we shot ourselves in the foot defensively, which led to big innings which you can't do against good teams," said Head Baseball Coach Riley Price. "You take away the errors and missed spots, it wasn't as ugly as the scoreboard showed, but we paid for every single mistake. I'm really proud how the team responded offensively after last weekend, we put up 10 hits and had a few hard hits balls at guys," said Price. "WT does not strikeout often, so defensively we have to make plays or the big innings will continue to kill us. We need our defense and starting pitchers to give us a chance tomorrow, and for the offense to continue in the right direction".

  BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Hamilton provided a career best 3-3 on the evening. The outfielder also registered their first career three hit game, first career triple, and multi RBI game for the Greyhounds.
• Duren posted his first multi hit game with the Greyhounds, and Roach posted his first collegiate RBI's.
• Rausa made his first appearance of the season for the Greyhounds during the game.
• Eastern turn the page to Saturday, as the Hounds play the #15 Buffs in a doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at Greyhound Baseball Field. Game one is slated for a two o'clock start, while the second game will begin at approximately, 5 p.m.