PORTALES, N.M. – Eastern New Mexico Baseball came out swinging in the series opener against #15 St. Edward's University with a 8-4 win over the Hilltoppers. The Greyhounds shift to 5-8 on the season, with a identical LSC record. SEU slip to 8-3 overall, holding a 6-3 conference record.
 
After a scoreless first inning, the Greyhounds jumped on the board first with a pair of hits. Dylan Hummel started the frame with a double to right field, then Nick Schifftner scored Hummel with a single through the right side, 1-0 ENMU. Meanwhile, Noah De La Riva was dealing on the hill finishing the top of the third inning with three straight strikeouts.
 
The Greyhounds broke open the game with five runs in the third inning to go ahead 6-0 over the Hilltoppers. ENMU started the frame with three singles from Demetrio Archuleta, Camden Matthews, and Cooper Hamilton, to load the bases with no outs. Jonatan Clough lined a ball down the left field line, with Clough ending up on second base with two runs coming across the plate. The scoring continued with Schifftner drawing a bases loaded walk, and Jayden Martinez brought two runs home with a single to right field.
 
ENMU came back for more runs in the next inning, scoring a run from a pass ball and a error from the Hilltoppers, 8-0 ENMU after four innings. The Greyhounds kept the Hilltoppers off the scoreboard until the sixth inning after a groundout scored a runner from third after reaching on a triple. St. Edward's picked up another run in the seventh inning, trailing 8-2 with two frames to go.
 
The Hilltoppers troubled the Greyhounds in the eighth inning, loading the bases with no outs after a pair of singles and a fielder's choice. However, ENMU limited the damage with a 4-6-3 double play with one run scoring. SEU plated one run after a base hit, but still trailed 8-4 with three outs to go in the game. Julian Lopez shut down any chance of a comeback with two flyouts and a strikeout in the ninth to complete the upset over #15 St. Edward's, 8-4.

NOTABLE STATS

• The Greyhounds outhit the Hilltoppers, 12-11, with three extra base hits from ENMU.
• Every hitter for the Greyhounds recorded a base hit, with a pair of hitters having more than one hit.
• Hamilton finished 3-4 at the dish with two runs scored. Hummel picked up two hits in the game with a run scored.
• Schifftner, Clough, and Martinez each had two RBIs in the game, while Willie Ponce crossed the plate twice.
• De La Riva registers the win in 6.1 innings pitched, allowing just two runs from seven hits, finishing with nine strikeouts and no walks allowed. Lopez went 2.2 innings to shut the door on the Hilltopppers, allowing two runs (both unearned) with a strikeout.
• For St. Edward's, Welsey Gafford takes his first loss of the season on the mound, giving up eight runs (seven earned), 11 hits, with three strikeouts, and a walk. Colin Jackson and Jared Schaeffer combined for just one hit allowed in four innings of work.

FROM THE SOURCE

"A great way to start the series tonight with a big team win against a good team," said Head Baseball Coach Riley Price. "Fantastic start from De La Riva, as his command was on point all night and Lopez did a great job handling some adversity out of the pen. Offensively, we really bought into the approach we've been talking about, and executed early on to manufacture runs," said Price. "That performance tonight looks a lot more like the team we need to be as hitters and defensively we made some big plays as well. We need to take this momentum and strike first against tomorrow," said Price.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Hamilton supplied a season best three hits during the game, scattering two singles and a double.
• Martinez picked up his first RBI's as a Greyhound, while Schifftner had a season's best two RBI's. Clough also finished the game with multiple RBI's (2).
• De La Riva picked up his first win of the season with a career high nine strikeouts in the game.
• The Greyhounds met the Hilltoppers for the first time in series history at Greyhound Baseball Field.
• Eastern picked up their first home win against the St. Edward's in series history.
• ENMU have now taken the series opener for the past two years against SEU.
• Both teams return to Greyhound Baseball Field tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 25, for a seven inning double-header. First pitch of game one is set for 1 p.m., with game two expected to start around 4 p.m.