Athletic Report
April 15, 2000

JEFF THIBODEAUX HITS TWO HOMERS IN 2ND GAME
AS ENMU SPLITS WITH WEST TEXAS A&M
CANYON, TX — Senior first baseman Jeff Thibodeaux (Apple Valley, CA/Victor Valley College) blasted two homers in the second game of a double-header, as Eastern New Mexico University won 12-6 to gain a split with West Texas A&M University in Lone Star Conference action, Apr. 14. West Texas A&M won the first game, 9-7.

ENMU finished the double-header at 20-18-1 overall and 7-5 in the LSC South. WTAMU concluded the day at 18-29 overall, 6-8 in the LSC South.

Thibodeaux hit a two-run homer in the second inning, as the Greyhounds took a 2-0 lead. The game was tied 4-4 when Thibodeaux led off the fourth inning with his second homer, a solo blast to right field that gave ENMU the lead for good.

The Hounds added 5 runs in the fifth inning for a 10-4 lead. Eastern’s fifth inning included the first career homer by junior left fielder Chris Stewart (Albuquerque, NM/Manzano H.S.). His 2-run shot hit the flag pole in center field and was the second of seven hits by ENMU during the stanza. Freshman right fielder Dallas McMann (Amarillo, TX/Randall H.S.) added a solo homer later in the inning, while Steven Romano (Fr., 3B, Las Cruces, NM/Onate H.S.) drove in one run with a double and Jeromy Neumann (Sr., C, Visalia, CA/Victor Valley College) brought in another run with a single.

West Texas scored 2 runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to pull within 4 runs. ENMU concluded the scoring with a 2-run homer by Matt Masiarek (Sr., DH, Brisbane, Australia/ Lamar C.C.) in the sixth inning. Masiarek leads Eastern with 9 home runs this season. Thibodeaux was 3 for 3 with 3 runs and 3 RBIs for ENMU. Andy Hostetler (So., CF, Albuquerque, NM/Valley H.S.) was 2 for 4 with 2 runs, and Romano finished 2 for 4 with a run and an RBI.

West Texas won the opener with a slim 10-9 margin in hits, but the Buffaloes powered their way to 4 home runs while the Greyhounds did not hit a homer. Tim Lybarger smacked two homers, a 2-run shot in the second inning and a solo blast in the third. Steve Henderson’s 2-run homer in the fourth inning was followed immediately by a solo homer from Marcus Glass.

The Buffaloes trailed 3-0 after an inning and a half, but scored 4 times in the bottom of the second inning to take a one-run lead. WTAMU added 1 run in the third and 3 runs in the fourth for an 8-3 advantage.

ENMU answered with 4 runs in the top of the fifth, as the Hounds cut the deficit to a single run, 8-7. Thibodeaux hit a 2-RBI double during the inning. Romano added an RBI-double and Jeff Zipser (Jr., 2B, Las Vegas, NV/Victor Valley College) drove in the final run with a single to center field. Michael Kopenits, who went to the mound for WTAMU with one out and one runner on base in the fifth, recorded a strikeout and a ground out to end the stanza. He went on to earn his first save of the season.

WTAMU scored an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth, as Darrell Barron drove in Ben Hangartner with a single through the right side. Kopenits retired the Greyhounds in order in the top of the seventh. Lybarger went 2 for 3 with 2 runs and 3 RBIs for the Buffaloes. Glass added 2 hits in 4 at bats, while Hangartner was 2 for 2 with 2 runs and Henderson was 1 for 3 with a run and 3 RBIs.

ENMU was led by Romano, who completed the game with 2 hits, 2 runs and an RBI in 4 at bats. Zipser was 2 for 3 and Stewart finished 2 for 4. West Texas starter Jason Mann (7-3) recorded the victory in the first game. ENMU starter Jerry Macias (4-3) was the winning pitcher in the second game.

Including two non-conference games, the Greyhounds and the Buffaloes are 2-2 against each other this season. The teams will play another double-header on Saturday (Apr. 15), with first pitch in the opening game scheduled for 12:00 noon (MDT).