TYLER, Texas – Eastern New Mexico baseball split the day against No. 17 UT Tyler. ENMU opened with a less than desirable 15-3 loss in game one before turning the page and getting an important 6-4 win in the nightcap.
Game One – UTT 15, ENMU 3
UT Tyler used strong pitching and an eight-run spot in the fourth inning to aid them to a second win of the weekend series.
"(Julio) Garcia threw really good," said head coach
Riley Price after the doubleheader. "That guy is legit."
Price was referring to UTT's starter for the first game of the day. Julio Garcia was very effective, throwing four innings and giving up just four hits and two runs. He tallied six of the team's 10 total strikeouts in the process.
Offense came easy for UT Tyler in the first game of the day as they outhit the Hounds, 14-7. ENMU's pitching staff also gave up seven walks compared to just two walks on behalf of the home side.
Zach Raichel was credited with the loss after a tough start that featured three innings of work. He allowed five runs on seven hits and three walked batters.
Briley Van,
Thomas Fowler, and
Gunner Ferguson all threw for ENMU in the contest.
Isaiah Figueroa and
Logan Martin finished with multi-hit games. Extra base hits were not a factor for the Greyhounds offensive attack. They saw
Grant Gilooly and Martin hit the only doubles for the team.
Game Two – ENMU 6, UTT 4
Despite an ugly start to the day, Eastern New Mexico powered through in the second contest of the doubleheader and pulled out their first ranked win of the 2025-26 campaign.
"I challenged them after game two," said head coach
Riley Price when referring to the time period between the two contests.
His challenge was to "have more quality at-bats" and to "throw a few jabs early."
Eastern New Mexico definitely threw an early jab as they scored five runs in the top of the first inning.
Eiji Sawamura had a rarely quiet day in game one, but he began the next one in ideal fashion. The first year Greyhound swung on the very first pitch of the game and added a single to his repertoire. He would later score after advanced on a failed pickoff and an eventual groundout that would give him enough time to head home.
UTT got an early two outs on ENMU with the Greyhounds holding that 1-0 edge. The jabs kept coming for Eastern.
Adrien Martin,
Logan Martin, and
Isaiah Figueroa had back-to-back-to-back singles for the Hounds. Figueroa's led to an RBI scoring Adrian Martin. Then, the bases became loaded as
Grant Gilooly reached safely on a Patriots error. From there,
Gaston Galvan had a crucial base hit scoring both runners on base after another error by UTT. The error was a throwing error credited to the Patriots catcher. All three of their errors came in the first inning.
Figueroa led the offensive output for ENMU with three hits. Sawamura had two hits along with two runs in the effort. Eastern as a team stayed way more patient at the plate in the second game as they walked five times compared to four batters who struck out.
Cole Lancaster was tasked with duties on the mound this afternoon.
"Cole threw a heck of a game," noted Price after the win.
Lancaster earned his team-best fourth win this season behind six innings of work. He allowed four runs (one earned) along with five hits and three walks. He also struck out three Patriots along the way. Most notably, he allowed five base runners over the first five innings.
One of the most crucial calls in the entire game came in the third inning. Price challenged a double play call at the end of the inning. The Patriots had runners on the corners and the Greyhounds had the recipe for success for a 6-4-3 double play. However, the first base umpire said that
Adrien Martin's foot was just off the bag to complete the defensive stop thus allowing the runner to cross home plate. Price debated challenging the play, but decided to do so. The Greyhounds won the challenge and got out of the inning unscathed. That was the only inning where Lancaster allowed multiple base runners in the opening five innings.
A little late-game craziness ensued in the bottom of the seventh inning. Price said that he let Lancaster go out to begin the final inning, but he was "out of steam."
Alexander Sanderson came in to relieve Lancaster and managed to settle down after throwing a wild pitch to advance two runners to scoring position and giving up a walk to load the bases. The Patriots added a run on a fielder's choice, but two consecutive outs afterwards closed out the deal and gave ENMU their first win over a ranked opponent this season.
Eastern New Mexico and UT Tyler close out the four-game series at 1 p.m. CT on Sunday.
