KINGSVILLE, Texas – A dominate pitching performance from Ruger Bravo in game two, gave Eastern New Mexico Baseball a split of a Saturday doubleheader with Texas A&M-Kingsville University at Nolan Ryan Field. The Javelinas took game one 14-7 against the Hounds, while ENMU captured game two 9-1 over TAMUK. ENMU improve to 4-7 overall, with the same LSC record, while the Javelinas shift to 6-6 on the season and 5-6 in conference play.

GAME ONE: TAMUK 14, ENMU 7

Both teams picked up two runs in the opening inning. Eastern started the scoring after Jonatan Clough tripled with Cooper Hamilton on first base to score the games first run. Two batters later, Dylan Hummel scored Clough with a ground-rule double. TAMUK picked up its first runs with a two-out double to score a pair of runs.
 
From then, the Javelinas picked up two runs in the 2^nd inning, one run in the 3^rd inning, and six runs in the 4^th inning to hold a 11-2 advantage. Eastern captured a pair of runs in the 5^th, following a Nick Schifftner walk with the bases loaded, and Willie Ponce reaching on a bases loaded hit by pitch, 11-4 TAMUK.
 
Clough gave the Greyhounds consolation runs in the top of the 6^th with a 3-run homerun to left field. Camden Matthews reached base on a single and Hamilton walked, allowing Clough to send the runners home on his homerun, 12-7 TAMUK. Before the game ended, the Javelinas added two more runs, taking game one 14-7.

NOTABLE STATS

• Eastern offense scattered nine hits during the contest, while TAMUK supplied 13 base hits.
• Clough finished a double short of the cycle, going 3-4 with four RBI's. Hamilton and Demetrio Archuleta both finished 2-3 at the dish.
• Adrian Rubio takes the defeat for ENMU, going 3.2 innings and allowing eight runs (six earned runs). Vernon Hart, William McBride, and Reed Carter each took the rubber for ENMU during the game.
• Colton Taylor earns the win for the Javelinas, tossing 5.0 innings with five strikeouts and four runs allowed. Blake Rogers and Matthew Sesler each made an appearance from the bullpen for TAMUK, with the latter throwing a hitless 1.1 frames.

GAME TWO: ENMU 9, TAMUK 1

Texas A&M-Kingsville jumped on the board in the first inning with a two-out double sending home a runner from first that reached on a walk. However, the Greyhounds picked up four runs in the next half inning to go ahead of the Javelinas. With the bases loaded and one out, Nyles Duren brought home a run on a fielder's choice to tie the game at 1-1. Spencer Roach stepped in and doubled down the left field line, clearing the bases, 3-1 ENMU. C. Matthews then singled to score Roach from second.
 
The Greyhounds weren't done scoring, keeping the hitting going in the third frame. Hamilton led off the inning with a double and Clough reached base on a hit by pitch. After a call to the bullpen, Hummel knocked in Hamilton with a line drive double to left field. Rutger Poiry matched Hummel with a double of his own, scoring the Greyhounds sixth run of the night, 6-1 ENMU. Later, Duren brought Poiry home with a single through the right side., 7-1 ENMU.
 
Defensively, Bravo was lights out on the mound after the first inning. Bravo recorded at least two strikeouts in all but one inning during the contest, with TAMUK occasionally reaching base but failing to plate any runs. ENMU added two insurance runs in the 6^th inning, but didn't need it as Bravo polished the complete game effort with 13 strikeouts in the Greyhounds 9-1 victory.

NOTABLE STATS

• Eastern supplied 10 hits during the second game of the day, while the Javelinas were held to just five hits. ENMU finished with four extra base hits, all doubles.
• C. Matthews, Duren, and Roach all finished with two hits, while Duren and Roach each had two RBI's.
• Bravo tossed a gem of a game in his first win of the season. The south-paw finished with 13 strikeouts, giving up one run from five hits, and two walks in his complete game effort.
• Texas A&M-Kingsville had four different pitchers stride the rubber, with starter Robbie Spencer taking the loss in two innings pitched and giving up five runs on four hits.

FROM THE SOURCE

"In game one today we started to swing it a little, but self-destructed on the mound and on defense and allowed the big inning to happen," said Head Baseball Coach Riley Price. "When it rains it pours and it allowed their bats to get hot," said Price.

"I challenged our guys in game two to clean it up and stop shooting ourselves in the foot and they responded well with a nice clean win, finally," said Price. "I couldn't have asked for a better complete game from Ruger, as he diced up their line-up all night and threw an absolute gem. I expect to go home with a split tomorrow, so we need to show up ready to take care of business and salvage the weekend," said Price.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Bravo's 13 strikeouts is tied for the 3^rd most in a single game in program history. The last time a Greyhounds threw more strikeouts was when Cesar Capellan took down 15 batters in 2018 against Fairmont State (school record). 13 punchouts over seven frames is tied for the most in a seven-inning game in school history (James Gray, 13, against Angelo State, Mar. 28, 2015). It is the 5^th complete game thrown by Bravo for the Greyhounds in his career.
• Clough picked up his first career triple, launched his fourth homer of the season, and accounted for a career best four RBIs in game one.
• Eastern New Mexico beat the Javelinas in Kingsville for the first time since 2014, when ENMU picked up a 6-4 win on 4/19/14.
• McBride made his first appearance of the season. C. Matthews stole his first base of the season and reached base in his 10^th consecutive game.
• The Greyhounds will look to win the series finale, tomorrow, Sunday, Feb. 19, with first pitch scheduled for 12 p.m.