PORTALES, N.M. – Behind dominant pitching and strong hitting, Eastern New Mexico Baseball (10-8, 8-8 LSC) came away with a series finale victory over Cameron (5-15, 5-15 LSC) via run-rule, 14-4 (8 Inn.) on Sunday afternoon at Greyhound Baseball Field. With the victory, the Greyhounds secure a series victory over the Aggies, 3-1.
Roman Connolly controlled the game from the mound for Eastern, striking out 11 Cameron batters over seven innings. The right-hander allowed just a pair of runs at the end of his outing, with five hits and no walks.
Jose Carranza pitched the final inning for the Greyhounds, surrendering a pair of runs from three hits.
Eastern hitters scattered 12 hits during the game, with four different Greyhounds recording multiple hits.
Anthony Cortese,
Kyle Kiernan,
Adrien Martin, and
Willie Ponce all finished with a pair of hits, as Kiernan recorded a double and triple. Kiernan scored three times during the game, while Terilli walked three times. In total, the Eastern lineup drew 11 walks and stole five bases.
After three collective hits over the first three innings, Eastern New Mexico put up seven runs in the 4
th frame to jump out to a big lead. The first run came across on
Jalen Freeman squeeze bunt, sending Kiernan home from third base. Later with two runners in scoring position and two outs,
Tucker Gideon pulled a double down the right field line to clear the bases, 3-0 ENMU. Two batters later, Ponce singled through the right side to score Gideon. ENMU picked up a run on a failed pickoff, then Cortese doubled home a run, and Kiernan tripled in the Greyhounds seventh run of the inning.
Eastern were held until the 6
th inning, grabbing a pair of runs to go ahead 10-0. Cortese singled with two outs, then moved to second on an error. Kiernan followed behind with a double down the left field line, then Martin took one deep to right center to establish a double-digit lead. Cameron prevented the game ending in the 7
th inning with a pair of runs, then scored two more in the 8
th. However, ENMU ended the game with four runs in the 8
th to win 14-4. Eastern took advantage of six walks in the inning, with Gideon registering a sacrifice fly.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
- The Greyhounds tallied seven extra base hits during the game, as every starter in the batting lineup scored for ENMU.
- Five different Greyhounds stole a base during the game, while Daniel Pruitt threw out a pair of runners from behind the plate.
- Connolly moves his season record to 2-2 on the season, while Cameron starter Ryken Brandsma is charged with the loss.
- On the mound, Connolly set a personal high for strikeouts along with an ENMU individual single-game high this season. Martin hit his first home run as a Greyhound, while Terilli drew a season high three walks.
- Eastern set a season-high for walks in the game with 11, while recording the second most runs in a single game this season (most in a conference game).
- The Greyhounds head on the road for its next series, facing UT Permian Basin in a four-game slate next weekend. The series opener is scheduled for Friday, March 7 at 1 p.m. (CST) from Roden Field.
