ALPINE, Texas – Eastern New Mexico Baseball (17-12, 15-12 LSC) hit their way past Sul Ross State (2-29, 2-29 LSC) during a doubleheader sweep on Saturday afternoon at Kokernot Field. The Greyhounds scored 24 runs from 23 hits in the opening game, winning 24-7, while the Greyhounds scored big runs late in a 17-6 win of game two.
GAME ONE: ENMU 24, SRSU 7
The Greyhounds were all over the Lobos pitching, racking up 23 hits over seven innings to score 24 runs. Nine of the 11 batters recorded a base hit, while seven of the nine starters finished with multiple hits. Seven different Greyhounds had multiple RBIs, as Anthony Cortese led the team with four. Four Greyhounds homered during the game: Demetrio Archuleta, Jalen Freeman, Jordan Rodriguez, and Dylan Shea. Luciano Terilli finished a home run short of the cycle, while Freeman and Willie Ponce each scored four times.
Cole Lancaster tossed five innings for the Hounds, allowing three runs in the win from five hits, while Logan Kinter, and Griffin Almond each fired one inning on the hill. The Greyhounds never trailed in the game, leading 8-3 after the 2nd inning.
Eastern started scoring with three runs coming in from three singles from Cortese, Adrien Martin, and Shea. Eastern added to the lead with five runs in the second, with Freeman hitting a solo home run, Cortese grabbing an RBI on a ground out, and Shea supplying a three-run home run. Two innings later, Beau Preston singled with the bases load to bring in two runs, giving ENMU a 10-3 lead after four innings.
The Greyhounds ran up the score with 10 runs in the 5th inning, as Ponce tripled with the bases loaded to start the big inning. Cortese brought home another run on a single, then later scored on a passed ball. Freeman doubled home two runs, Archuleta hit a home run soon after, then Cortese doubled home a run in his second at bat of the inning to cap the scoring (ENMU 20-3).
ENMU ended their scoring in the 6th inning, with Freeman driving home a run with a double, then Rodriguez hitting a pinch-hit three run home run. Sul Ross State scored four consolation runs in the final frame, as ENMU finished with a 24-7 win.
GAME TWO: ENMU 17, SRSU 6
The Greyhounds supplied another dominant hitting display, posting 19 hits over the seven frames, with seven extra base hits. Seven Greyhounds managed a hit in the game, with six recording multiple hits. Ponce (3-3, 7 RBI) was a double short of the cycle, while Freeman (4-6, 4 R, 4 RBI) missed the cycle by a triple. Dominick Cassell finished 4-4 at the plate, while Martin finished with three hits.
Josaiah Estrella pitched with a lead the entire game, hurling six innings with five runs allowed (three earned). Klevert Martina recorded the final three outs on the mound, facing five batters.
Ponce got things started with a 2-RBI triple in the first inning to deep center field, while Martin brought home a run with a single two batters later. Archuleta supplied a sacrifice fly in the second inning, as Sul Ross State picked up two unearned runs with ENMU leading 4-2 after two frames. From then, ENMU scored seven unanswered runs including six in the 5th inning. Ponce collected an RBI single in the 4th, while starting the 5th inning with a run coming home on an error. Daniel Pruitt and Freeman both had 2-run home runs in the frame, while Ponce drove home a run on a sacrifice fly.
Sul Ross State scored three runs in the 5
th to tighten the score, but Eastern put up six more runs in the 6
th. Freeman brought home two runs with a double, then Terilli scored Freeman with an RBI double. Shortly after, Ponce crushed a three-run home run to put ENMU ahead 17-5. Sull Ross scored a consolation run in the 7
th, with ENMU winning 17-6.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Eastern up-ed their season highs for runs scored, RBIs, and hits in a single game this season, scoring 24 runs with 23 hits, and 23 RBIs. 24 runs in a single game is the 6th most in program history, while 23 RBIs is the 4th most in program history. The team's 44 total bases are tied for second most in a single game.
- Rodriguez hit his first home run as a Greyhound in the first game, while Dylan Shea posted a career best four hits and four RBIs in the same game. Cortese marked the game with a career high five RBIs.
- During the second game, Ponce supplied a single high 7 RBIs, tying a career best for RBIs. Ponce achieved the feat last season in a road game with Oklahoma Christian. Ponce tied the all-time program record for hit-by-pitch's, reaching base for a 46th time on a hit-by-pitch.
- Freeman has now recorded a home run in three consecutive games, finishing with a season high four hits, scoring four runs, with four RBIs in the second game. Cassell scattered four singles in game two, tying a career high for hits in a single game.
- Eastern conclude the season on Sunday, March 23, facing the Lobos in a nine-inning game beginning at 12 p.m. (MST).
