SAN ANGELO, Texas – Eastern New Mexico Baseball (26-17, 24-16 LSC) dropped the series opener against #2 Angelo State (36-7, 34-7 LSC) in a high scoring affair, 18-9, on Friday evening at Foster Field at 1
st Community Credit Union Stadium.
Eastern out-hit the Rams, 16-14, during the game, but the Rams walked 12 times in the game to beat the Greyhounds. Eight of the nine starters for the Greyhounds recorded a base hit, while six Greyhounds had multiple hits.
Luciano Terilli and
Adrien Martin each had a single, double, and home run in the game, while
Willie Ponce collected a home run also in the game. Terilli paced the Greyhounds for RBIs on a three-run home run, while
Anthony Cortese, Martin, and Ponce all had two RBIs.
Demitrius DiMatteo is charged with the loss, allowing 10 runs over 3.0+ innings of work on the mound.
Klevert Martina and
Jose Carranza both had 2.0 IP of relief, while
Marc Rios,
Matthias Trondson, and
Jadon Rendon combined to pitch the final inning.
Eastern took an early lead to begin the game, with Cortese driving home the games first run with a RBI single. However, the Rams supplied six hits including three home runs in an eight run 1
st inning to lead 8-1. Angelo State pushed across four runs in the bottom of the 4
th, increasing its lead to 12-1. Eastern did provide a small comeback effort in the 5
th inning, scoring five runs in the frame. With two outs,
Kyle Kiernan kept the inning alive with a single, then Ponce deposited a ball over the right field fence to cut the score to 12-3. A Terilli double, then Cortese single brought home another run, while Martin followed with a two-run blast to make the score 12-6 after five innings.
Four scoreless frames were broken up in the bottom of the 7
th, with two runs coming across for the Rams. The Greyhounds hit back with another home run, this time a three-run homer from Terilli with two outs in the 8
th. The Rams took advantage of free bases in the 8
th, with four walks leading to four runs in the inning, with the Rams scoring runs on just one hit. ASU retired the side in the 9th to win the series opener, 18-9.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
- Ponce's home run in the 5th inning marked the 50th by the Greyhounds this season as a team. Breaking the 50-home run mark set a new program single season record for home runs, while the team broke the single season record for walks last weekend.
- Individually, Ponce was hit by a pitch for the 19th time this season, tying a single season record. Ponce earlier this season broke the ENMU career record for hit by pitches.
- Terilli's home run was his 10th of the season, tying Daniel Pruitt for the team lead this season.
- Trondson made their first appearance as a Greyhound on the mound.
- Eastern New Mexico returns to the diamond tomorrow, facing the Rams in a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m. (MST) / 4 p.m. (CST).