PORTALES, N.M. – A walk-off and 18-run game saw Eastern New Mexico Baseball take a sweep of a doubleheader with Oklahoma Christian University on Saturday afternoon at Greyhound Baseball Field. Eastern took game one in walk-off fashion, 7-6 (8 Inn.), while the Hounds picked up game two of the day, 18-14, over OC. With the wins, ENMU hit 20-20 on the season and 18-20 in conference play. The Eagles slip to 12-29 overall, with a 12-27 LSC standing.
GAME ONE: ENMU 7, OC 6 (8 Inn.)
The Greyhounds got the scoring started in the first inning, with
Demetrio Archuleta hitting a sacrifice fly to score a run. In the second frame, the Eagles put up four runs to take a 4-1 lead after two full innings. However, the Greyhounds tied the game in the third inning scoring three runs.
Cooper Hamilton brought home a run on an infield single, following a
Camden Matthews triple. Then, with two outs and runners on second and third,
Nick Schifftner sent a ball back up the middle to tie the contest at four runs each.
Eastern added more runs in the fourth frame, with
Nyles Duren belting a solo homerun over the center field fence. After a C. Matthews single and a Hamilton double, Archuleta recorded another sacrifice fly to push the lead to 6-4 ENMU. Following an empty fifth inning, the Eagles tied the game in the sixth with a solo home run, then a pair of hits, 6-6 heading to the seventh.
Starting pitcher
Ruger Bravo was unfazed in the late stages of the game, tossing a 1-2-3 seventh inning, then a perfect eighth inning with three strikeouts in the eighth. In the bottom of the eighth, Duren and C. Matthews started the inning with back-to-back singles to get the winning run in scoring position. Then, Archuleta poked a single to right field with Duren rounding for home. The throw to the plate was in time, but an evasive slide at the plate from Duren gave ENMU the win, 7-6 over the Eagles in walk-off fashion.
NOTABLE STATS
- The Greyhounds outhit the Eagles, 16-9, in the game. ENMU posted four extra base hits in the game.
- Eight batters had a base hit during the game, with four batters recording multiple hits for the Hounds.
- C. Matthews finished a perfect 5-5 at the plate, scoring three runs. Hamilton added three hits to the Hounds effort, with Schifftner and Duren each posting two hits.
- Archuleta brought home three runs, including the game winner, while Schifftner added two RBIs to his tally.
- Bravo worked a complete game effort, finishing eight full innings with six runs allowed and six strikeouts in the win.
- For Oklahoma Christian, Gabe Dixon took the loss allowing the game ending run in 3.1 innings. Starter Brady Weisinger went 3.0 innings and allowed four runs, while middle reliever Brendon Bavester threw one inning, giving up two runs.
GAME TWO: ENMU 18, OC 14
Both teams started the scoring at the beginning of the contest, with the score reading 7-2 ENMU after the first inning. OC scored their runs on three consecutive hits, while the Hounds took advantage of free bases. Clough doubled with the bases loaded to give ENMU a 3-2 lead, then Eastern scored a pair of runs on wild pitches. The Greyhounds picked up two more runs before the inning ended, scoring off a fielding error. Clough pushed the score to 8-2 ENMU with a towering solo homerun in the second inning.
The Eagles struck back with five runs in the third to come within one run. Eastern answered the call with three runs in the bottom third. After Duren reached on a hit by pitch, C. Matthews tripled to score a run. C. Matthews later scored on a wild pitch, and Hamilton also came home on a wild pitch, giving ENMU an 11-7 lead after three innings. Oklahoma Christian added a run in the fourth inning, while ENMU tacked on four more runs in the bottom of the inning. Hamilton tripled to score a pair of runs, then
Willie Ponce singled home a pair of runs, 15-8 after four innings.
Oklahoma Christian made the game closer in the fifth inning after scoring five runs on five hits, along with a scoreless bottom of the fifth, 15-13 ENMU. After OC made the game just one run in the sixth, Eastern plated three insurance runs to go ahead 18-14. C. Matthews scored on a balk, Clough brought home a run on a single, and Estrada brought home a run on a sacrifice fly. A clean seventh inning ended the contest, with the Greyhounds winning 18-14.
NOTABLE STATS
- The Eagles out matched the Hounds for hits, 21-12. OC had 12 extra base hits in the game, while ENMU managed six extra base hits in the game.
- Six Greyhounds managed a hit in the game, with three batters holding multiple hits.
- C. Matthews finished 4-4 with a triple and a walk, Clough posted three hits with a double and a homerun, while Cooper Hamilton sprayed a double and triple in the game.
- For RBIs, Clough topped the charts with five RBIs, while Hamilton and Ponce both picked up a pair of RBIs.
- Julian Lopez picked up the win, tossing 4.2 relief innings for ENMU. Noah De La Riva also took the rubber for Eastern, throwing 2.1 innings from the start.
- The Eagles had seven arms take the mound, with starter Kyle Higgins taking the loss after giving up five runs in just 0.1 innings.
FROM THE SOURCE
"Game one was a nail biter today," said Head Baseball Coach
Riley Price. "Bravo did a good job of settling in and minimizing for us and went the distance once again. Great to see our ability to respond and come up with some clutch hits in big situations," said Price.
"In game two, OC came out swinging it and we weren't the best defensively, but we took advantage of a lot of free bases that we're given out to us and found ways to manufacture runs," said Price. "Lopez came in for damage control and kept us in it. The top of our lineup is swinging it well," said Price. "(Camden) Matthews and Clough are especially on fire at the plate and need them to continue doing what they're doing,".
"We have a great opportunity for a sweep tomorrow as our bullpen will really be tested. Need to be locked in early and get ahead early," said Price. "If we compete in the zone on the mound and continue to swing it, I like our chances,".
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- With five hits in game one, C. Matthews landed in 3rd most hits in a single game, setting a career best. Archuleta's two sacrifice flies are tied for a program record.
- During game two, Eastern worked 12 walks during the game, which is tied for 6th most in a single game in program history.
- Clough's home run in game two now ties him for the single season home run record with 12. Steve Marquez belted 12 home runs in 1995 and 1996, which stands as the current record.
- The Greyhounds secured the doubleheader sweep for just the second time in conference play this season, with the last time coming against Cameron at home (3/17)
- Eastern look to close out the series on a high note when they face the Eagles for the getaway-game, Sunday, Apr. 16, with first pitch set for 1 p.m.
