PORTALES, N.M. – Eastern New Mexico Baseball (26-22, 24-22 LSC) suffered a pair of close home defeats against Texas A&M International (16-32, 15-31 LSC) on Friday afternoon at Greyhound Baseball Field. In game one, the Dustdevils scored five runs in the 7
th inning to tie the game, then scored in the 8
th to win 6-5. In the second game, ENMU dropped the contest 7-5, with a two-hour lightning delay interrupting the game.
GAME ONE: TAMIU 6, ENMU 5 (8 Inn.)
Following a two scoreless innings to begin the game, Eastern New Mexico put up two runs in the 3
rd inning to take a 2-0 lead.
Tucker Gideon and
Kyle Kiernan started the inning with back-to-back singles, then
Willie Ponce moved them into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt.
Luciano Terilli followed with an opposite field double, scoring both base runners to give ENMU the lead.
The Greyhounds padded their lead with three runs in the 4
th inning. With runners in scoring position and one out, Gideon punched a single back up the middle to drive home two runs. Two batters later, Ponce collected an RBI single to score Gideon, as the Hounds took a 5-0 lead.
However, after being held hitless in the first six innings, Texas A&M International sprung to life with five runs on four hits and three hit-by-pitches, tying the game at 5-5. ENMU did get a runner in scoring position in the 7
th but didn't push the run across, sending the game to extra innings. In the 8
th inning, three straight two out singles gave the Dustdevils a 6-5 lead, then they held ENMU off the board to take the opening game.
GAME TWO: TAMIU 7, ENMU 5
Texas A&M international jumped out early on the Greyhounds pitching, scoring four runs in the first three innings. Eastern cut the deficit in half with two runs in the third inning.
Jalen Freeman walked then advanced to second on a wild pitch to start the frame.
Beau Preston brought him home with a single into right field to get ENMU on the scoreboard. Later in the inning with runners on the corners, Preston scored on a failed pickoff attempt to make the score 4-2 TAMIU.
After holding off the Dustdevils in the 4
th and 5
th frame, ENMU took the lead (5-4) with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Gideon started the inning with a single, then Kiernan followed with a bunt single. Kiernan then stole second, as Gideon came home on an error from the Dustdevils. Ponce singled, then advanced to second on an error, leaving runners in scoring position with one out. Terilli laid down a successful safety squeeze bunt to tie the game at 4-4, then
Anthony Cortese hit a sacrifice fly to give the Greyhounds a 5-4 lead.
However, the Dustdevils put together three runs in the top of the 6
th from one hit, retaking the lead (7-5). ENMU threatened in the bottom of the inning a single and double putting the tying run on second with two outs. However, a two-hour lightning delay interrupted the Hounds momentum and the Dustdevils escaped the jam and won the game, 7-5.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Demitrius DiMatteo took a no-hitter into the top of the seventh inning during game one, finishing with a no-decision in a career long 6.0 IP. He finished with just one hit allowed, three runs, five walks, and two hit-by-pitches.
- Gideon marked his return to the lineup with two hits, two runs scored, and two RBIs in their first game since mid-March.
- Eastern look to bounce back in a single game on Saturday, April 26, battling the Dustdevils at 2 p.m. at Greyhound Baseball Field.
