PORTALES, N.M. – The Eastern New Mexico Baseball program picked up a pair of wins over Cameron University on Saturday afternoon at Greyhound Baseball Field. ENMU battled to a 3-2 win in game one against the Aggies, while the Hounds posted a 10-4 victory in game two over Cameron. With the pair of wins, Eastern improves to 11-13 overall on the season with a 9-13 conference record. The visitors slip to 5-23, with a 5-22 Lone Star Conference record.
GAME ONE: ENMU 3, CU 2
After a pair of scoreless innings, the Aggies struck first in the third inning using a pair of hits to plate both runs. A leadoff walk and a double placed two runners on base with one out. A ground out forced home a run, then a single put the Aggies ahead 2-0 over ENMU.
ENMU responded in the bottom of the third with a single run, benefiting from free bases. With a walk and single from ENMU with two-outs, a walk loaded the bases and
Dylan Hummel brought home a run on a hit by pitch, 2-1 CU. Both teams continued to play solid defense as neither team found a hit in the fourth inning.
Spencer Roach tied the contest for the Greyhounds in the fifth inning, with a two-out base hit.
Demetrio Archuleta reached on a single with two outs, then stole second to get into scoring position. Roach then lined a single into right field to score Archuleta and tie the contest at 2-2.
After a empty top of the sixth inning, the Greyhounds took a 3-2 lead after three singles plated a run.
Camden Matthews beat out an infield single to reach base with one out, then
Cooper Hamilton sent a ball back up the middle to move Matthews into scoring position. After both runners moved up a base on groundout,
Willie Ponce singled to center field to give ENMU the lead.
The Aggies did have a chance to extend the game, after two singles and an intentional walk loaded the bases with two outs. However, a fielder's choice to shortstop ended the contest, 3-2, for the Hounds.
NOTABLE STATS
- ENMU posted six hits during the game, while the Aggies scattered five hits.
- Five different Greyhounds picked up a hit, with Hamilton posting a pair of singles.
- Ponce, Hummel, and Roach each had a crucial RBI in the game.
- Rugar Bravo went the distance for the Greyhounds, tossing a complete game effort with five hits, six walks, two runs allowed, with six strikeouts.
- For the Aggies, Garrett Klein is given the loss after tossing two innings and allowing two runs. Marcos Feria started the contest, throwing four innings, giving up one run from one hit, but had six walks and two hit-by-pitches.
GAME TWO: ENMU 10, CU 4
The Aggies went ahead 2-0 over the Greyhounds after the top of the fourth inning. Cameron benefited from a throwing error to score the games first run in the second inning, then CU doubled its lead with a solo homerun in the top of the fourth. However, ENMU brought the game tied in the bottom of the fourth frame.
After a hit by pitch and a single put runners on the corners, Eastern scored their first run from a CU error trying to pick off the runner at third base. Later, ENMU tied the contest on a wild pitch pitting the score at 2-2 after four innings. Cameron responded with a two-run home run in the fifth to jump back in front, but the Greyhounds put up five runs in the fifth frame to go ahead 7-4.
Roach led-off the inning with a double, then advanced to third on a
Nick Schifftner single.
Rutger Poiry hit a sacrifice fly to score Roach, then Matthews tripled to right field to tie the game at 4-4.
After a pitching change, ENMU put runners on the corners with a hit-by-pitch allowing
Jonatan Clough to single and give Eastern the lead. Then, Hummel added to the Greyhounds advantage with a bases clearing single to force two more runs to the plate.
ENMU came out defensively in the sixth and turned a double play to keep the Aggies scoreless, but followed in the bottom of the inning with three runs. Roach doubled to start the inning, and Matthews singled up the middle to increase the Hounds lead. Later in the inning, Ponce singled up the middle with the bases loaded to put the Hounds ahead 10-4.
Javier Luna completed the Greyhounds victory with a 1-2-3 inning as ENMU picked up a 10-4 over CU.
NOTABLE STATS
- The Greyhounds notched 11 hits during the game, while the Aggies registered seven hits in game two.
- Seven Greyhounds contributed to the Eastern offense, with four Greyhounds holding two hits. Roach had two doubles in the game, Matthews had a single and a triple, while Ponce and Hummel each had two singles.
- In terms of RBIs, five Greyhounds accounted for eight RBIs. Matthews, Ponce, and Hummel each plated two RBIs in the game.
- Julian Lopez made the start for ENMU, tossing four innings and allowing four runs with seven K's. Luna earns the win in 3.0 innings of relief, allowing one hit, and producing four strikeouts.
- Cameron had five pitchers take the rubber in the contest, with Grayden Stauffer taking the defeat. Jayce Clem is dealt a no decision, going 3.1 innings, with Colton Popp, Evan Nichols, and Matthew Scott each throwing for CU.
FROM THE SOURCE
"Great to have two wins today," said Head Baseball Coach Riley Price. "Bravo did a great job in game one minimizing on the mound and our defense did a great job of not letting them get any momentum. A lot of opportunities to score runs as an offense today and we did not cash in as much as we should have in the game, so getting that win despite that was a positive," said Price.
"In game two, Lopez did a great job of minimizing as well and kept them at bay long enough for us to get our bats going. It was nice to see us heat up offensively and get some clutch hits to extend our lead," said Price. "Luna was solid out of the pen for us today and shut the door on them for the win. We need to take this momentum going into tomorrow and find that third win," said Price.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Bravo picks up his fourth win of the season, with his third complete game outing of the season.
- Julian Lopez made his first start of the season and recorded a career high 4.0 IP and season best seven K's in his outing. Javier Luna picks up his first win of the season, with a season high four strikeouts.
- Roach now has a season long 13 game hitting streak, the longest active streak on the team. Ponce has now reached base in his last 14 games for the Greyhounds, the longest active streak for the Eastern.
- ENMU conclude the series tomorrow at Greyhound Baseball Field, with first pitch scheduled to be thrown at 1 p.m.
