Athletic Report
March 24, 2000

TARLETON STATE EDGES GREYHOUNDS 4-3 IN FIRST GAME OF LSC OPENING DOUBLE-HEADER
Texans Also Win Second Game, 6-1
STEPHENVILLE, TX — Tarleton State scored the winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning to take a 4-3 victory over Eastern New Mexico in the first game of a double-header, Mar. 24 at Ballow Field.

The Texans scored 4 times in the fifth inning of the second game to win 6-1 and sweep the opening Lone Star Conference double-header for both teams. ENMU fell to 12-14-1 (0-2 LSC) with the losses, while TSU improved to 18-10 (2-0 LSC) with the wins.

ENMU took a 1-0 lead in the opener when David Jones (Jr., SS, Sierra Vista, AZ/Victor Valley College) led off the game with a home run. It was his 5th homer of the season, tying him with Matt Masiarek (Sr., DH, Brisbane, Australia/Lamar C.C.) for the team lead.

Tarleton scored 3 times in the bottom of the first to move in front, 3-1. Shawn Shiery drove in the first run with a single to left field. Stephen Cheak added two RBIs with a two-out single.

The Greyhounds forged a 3-3 tie with a pair of runs in the fourth stanza. Masiarek singled to start the inning, and was followed by Dallas McMann (Fr., RF, Amarillo, TX/Randall H.S.), who walked. Senior first baseman Jeff Thibodeaux (Apple Valley, CA/Victor Valley College) drove in both players with a double to left field. TSU loaded the bases with no outs in the seventh.

ENMU starter Gabe DeHoyos struck out Josh Johnson on a called third strike to record one out. Matt Cooper, who walked to lead off the inning, scored the winning run when Shiery, who batted after Johnson, hit a single.

Shiery was 3 for 4 during the game, and also earned the pitching victory with a 6-hit, complete-game decision. He is 5-0 on the season. DeHoyos, who allowed just 7 hits -- all singles -- fell to 2-1 with the loss. He struck out 6 batters and allowed 3 walks.

In the second game, the Texans scored twice in the bottom of the first inning. Brent Booze earned both RBIs with a two-out double The Greyhounds cut the deficit to 2-1 in the top of the fifth, as third baseman Steven Romano (Fr., Las Cruces, NM/Onate H.S.) reached on an error and scored on a sacrifice fly by second baseman Jeff Zipser (Jr., Las Vegas, NV/Victor Valley College).

The Texans exploded for 4 runs in the bottom of the inning. Cooper singled to begin the stanza, but Jones caught a fly ball and recorded an assist on a grounder, as the Hounds registered two outs. TSU then received one RBI each from four consecutive batters. Brent Graham singled, Shiery and Slade Watts doubled, and Booze singled to drive in the runs.

Jeremy Dickinson upped his record to 4-0 with a complete-game victory. He gave up just 4 hits, while earning 3 strikeouts and giving up just 1 walk.

ENMU starter Jerry Macias (Fr., RHP, Las Cruces, NM/Las Cruces, H.S.) was the losing pitcher. He fell to 3-3 on the season. Thibodeaux was 2 for 3 for ENMU in the first game. Masiarek, McMann, freshman Josh Faulkner (LF, Levelland, TX/Levelland H.S.), and sophomore Andy Hostetler (CF, Albuquerque, NM/Valley H.S.) each earned one hit in the second game.

Shiery was 2 for 3 in the second game to finish the double-header with 5 hits in 7 at bats. Jesse Leatherwood was 2 for 3 in the opener, while Booze was 2 for 3 (3 RBIs) in the nightcap.

The two teams are scheduled to play another double-header on Sat., Mar. 25. First pitch at Ballow Field in set for 11:00 a.m. (MST).