FORT SMITH, Ark. – A late home run pushed Eastern New Mexico Baseball past University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, 5-3, in game two of a doubleheader split at Crowder Field on Friday afternoon. The Lions took game one to the day, 7-2, over the Hounds. ENMU moves to 17-19 on the season, with a 15-19 LSC record. The Lions slip to 8-29 overall, holding a 6-29 conference record.
GAME ONE: UAFS 7, ENMU 2
The Greyhounds struck first in the game, benefiting from a UAFS error. With two outs,
Demetrio Archuleta singled and
Willie Ponce reached on a hit by pitch to keep the inning alive. Archuleta came around to score after
Jonatan Clough reached on an error. UAFS had a chance to respond in the bottom of the inning with the bases load, but a flyout ended the inning with the ENMU ahead 1-0.
Both teams threw scoreless frames in the second and third inning, but the Lions broke open the game in the fourth. A pair of walks and a bunt single loaded the bases, with a single tying the contest at 1-1. Later with two outs, the Lions took the lead on a walk with the bases load, then a single scored a pair of runs to put the score at 4-1 UAFS. The Lions added two more runs before the inning ended, 6-1.
Each team added a run in the sixth inning, with ENMU scoring a run on a wild pitch. UAFS pushed the score to 7-2 on a sacrifice fly. In the seventh, ENMU loaded the bases with two outs after three straight hits, but UAFS got out of the inning with a groundout to end the game, 7-2 UAFS.
NOTABLE STATS
- Both teams finished with seven hits in the games, with UAFS holding the only extra base hit of the game (double).
- Five Greyhounds produced a base hit, with Cooper Hamilton and Archuleta finishing with two hits.
- Noah De La Riva took the loss for ENMU, going four innings allowing six runs on five hits and five walks. Noah Rodriguez tossed two innings of relief, giving up one run.
- Brayden Johnson picked up the win for the Lions, throwing six innings and allowing two runs. Devon Chapa threw the final inning of the game, giving up three hits.
GAME TWO: ENMU 5, UAFS 3
Like the first two games of the series, ENMU scored in the first inning to take an advantage over UAFS. Hamilton singled, Archuleta walked, and Clough singled to load the bases. With two outs and Hummel at the plate, a wild pitch brought home the first run of the inning for ENMU to take the lead. Then, Hummel singled up the middle to put the Greyhounds up 3-0.
Neither team registered a hit in the second or third inning, but the Lions offense tied the game in fourth inning. A two out double started the Lions hitting, then a hit by pitch put another base runner on. Then, a single scored the first run for the Lions, and the next batter singled to score two runs and tie the game.
Entering the seventh inning the score was still tied 3-3, but
Camden Matthews led off the inning with a single with no outs to get the lead runner on. After a sacrifice bunt and a strikeout, Clough hit a towering ball over the left center field fence to give ENMU a 5-3 lead going into the bottom of the inning. In the bottom of the inning, a strikeout and a pair of fly outs ended the game as ENMU came away with a 5-3 win.
NOTABLE STATS
- Eastern produced six hits in the game, while the Lions finished with three hits. Both teams had one extra base hit.
- Clough and Hummel each had two hits and two RBIs, with Clough hitting a two-run home run and Hummel securing a two-RBI single.
- Matthews and Hamilton each had a single in the game, while both scored once.
- Ruger Bravo tossed a complete game gem, giving up three hits and three runs (all in the 4th inning). The left hander finished with nine strikeouts against the Lions (six swinging, three looking).
- For the Lions, Jakob Petross pitched all seven innings for UAFS surrendering five earned runs from six hits.
FROM THE SOURCE
"Did not play great today. Game one was disappointing as we let the big inning happen and beat ourselves as we gave them too many free passes," said Head Baseball Coach Riley Price. "Offensively, we had a lot of hard outs right at guys and couldn't manufacture any runs throughout,".
"In game two we came out and scored first, but allowed them to tie it up later on with more free passes. Thankfully, in the last inning, Clough came up clutch for us with a moonshot to left field that snuck out and put us up by two," said Price. " Bravo didn't have his best stuff, but did a good job of keeping their hitters off balance as he went the distance to give us the win. Couple big plays defensively by Rutger Poiry and Nick Schifftner went a long way in game two as well," said Price.
"Our hitters need to step up with more quality at bats tomorrow and get back to spraying the field like we know how. If we fill up the zone and stay away from the big inning, I like our chance going home with a series win tomorrow," said Price.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Clough's home run is his 10th of the season and is now tied for 5th in a single season in program history (the most in a season since 2014, Matthew Burks (10)).
- After today's games, Clough has a team high of 10 multi-RBI games, while Hummel posted his fourth multi-RBI game.
- For complete games, Bravo tossed his fourth complete game of the season. Eastern has not lost this season won Bravo throws a complete game. Bravo now has eight complete games in his Greyhound career, tied for 8th best in program records.
- ENMU now shift their attention to the series finale, Saturday, Apr. 8, against the Lions. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.
