PORTALES, N.M. – Playing their final game of the season, Eastern New Mexico Baseball (27-23, 25-23 LSC) earned a 19-7 (7 Inn.) victory over Texas A&M International (17-33, 16-32 LSC) on Sunday afternoon at Greyhound Baseball Field. The Dustdevils finish with a series win over the Hounds, winning the first three games of the series.
The Greyhounds bats were alive from the start and never stopped, scoring runs in five of the six half innings during the game. Eastern outhit the Dustdevils, 16-11, with nine different Greyhounds picking up a base hit during the contest.
Jalen Freeman finished 4-5 in the game, missing the cycle by a home run, picking up seven RBIs, and stealing four bases. Four other Greyhounds recorded multiple hits, along with three other Hounds grabbing multi-RBIs.
Roman Connolly earned the win in relief for the Hounds, throwing three innings of one-run ball and striking out six hitters.
Logan Kinter started the game for Eastern, while
Griffin Almond tossed an inning of relief, and
Marc Rios ended the game with a 1-2-3 inning.
Both teams started the scoring early with nine runs between the two teams in the first two innings. ENMU scored four runs in the first inning on two out hitting, as an RBI single from
Tucker Gideon brought home the Greyhounds first run.
Beau Preston tied the game with an RBI single, then
Dylan Shea crushed a 2-RBI double to deep left field to give ENMU a 4-2 lead after the 1
st frame.
Willie Ponce supplied an RBI single in the 2
nd inning, giving ENMU back the lead after a 2-run home run for Texas A&M International, 5-4 ENMU.
TAMIU took the lead back with two runs in the 4
th, but the Greyhounds erupted for seven runs in the bottom of the inning, taking a commanding 12-6 lead. The first three batters reached for ENMU, with Gideon tying the game on an RBI single. Then with two outs, back-to-back walks gave ENMU a 7-6 lead. Freeman cleared the bases with an opposite field triple, putting ENMU ahead 10-7. ENMU rounded out the scoring in the inning with RBI singles from
Demetrio Archuleta and Ponce.
The Greyhounds tacked on two runs in the 5
th, and five runs in the 6
th before the contest ended. Freeman picked up an RBI single in the 5
th inning, while ENMU scored a run on a balk in the 5
th.
Daniel Pruitt produced an RBI single in the 6
th to start the scoring, then
Dominick Cassell brought in a run with a bases loaded walk, then Freeman cleared the bases with a 3-RBI triple. Rios took the mound in the 7
th inning and retired the Dustdevils in order to secure the mercy rule victory.
BEYOND THE BOXSCORE
- Freeman set several season bests, including four stolen bases, seven RBIs, and four hits.
- Connolly earns the victory on the mound, striking out six batters (second most in an outing this season).
- Before the game, the program honored its 17 graduating seniors: #1 Gideon, #2 Preston, #3 Archuleta, #4 Freeman, #5 Ponce, #6 Rios, #7 Josaiah Estrella, #8 Shea, #9 Terilli, #14 Connolly, #19 Klevert Martina, #22 Cassell, #24 Adrian Rubio, #25 Juan Avila, #34 Julian Lopez, #35 Pruitt, and #45 Almond.
- Eastern New Mexico ends the season with a 27-23 record, along with a 25-23 LSC standing. ENMU finishes in 8th place in the LSC standings, missing the postseason by just one win. The 27 wins are the most in the Riley Price era, and the most since 2017, while 25 conference wins is a new program high.
