Athletic Report
April 17, 2001

NMHU SWEEPS GREYHOUNDS IN TWINBILL
PORTALES, NM — New Mexico Highlands University swept a double-header from Eastern New Mexico University, winning 6-2 and 11-3, on Tuesday, Apr. 17, at Greyhound Field. The Cowboys improved to 31-10 on the season, while ENMU dropped to 24-26.

NMHU took an early lead in the opener by scoring three runs in the top of the second. Rich Rodriguez tripled to center with one out, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Chris O’Brien. Matt Planeta walked and David Coats singled, with both runners advancing another base on a throwing error on Coats’ single. Both runners scored when Anthony Dunn singled.

Eastern pulled within 3-2 by scoring twice in the third inning. Jeff Zipser (Sr., 2B, Las Vegas, NV/Victor Valley College) singled with one out, and Ryan Dickson (Jr., 1B/DH, Trail, BC/Big Bend C.C.) reached first base on catcher’s interference. Dallas McMann (So., DH/C, Amarillo, TX/Randall H.S.) followed with a triple to right field that drove in both runs. O’Brien hit a bases-loaded single up the middle to score pinch-runner Nick Royle in the NMHU half of the fifth inning. Eastern escaped the inning when Matt Planeta lined the ball to Dickson, who recorded an unassisted double play at first base.

The Cowboys maintained a 4-2 lead until the top of the seventh, when Brandon Rice hit a bases-loaded single to right field to drive in the game’s final two runs. Travis Johnson and Rodriguez scored on the play. Kyle Wagner (Fr., OF, Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad H.S.) singled in the seventh for ENMU, but David Jones (Sr., SS/OF, Sierra Vista, AZ/Eastern Arizona College) hit into a double play when third baseman Neil Rebell snagged his hard grounder to prevent an extra base hit down the line. Zipser also singled, but Rebell made a diving catch in foul territory on a ball hit by Andy Hostetler (Sr., OF, Albuquerque, NM/Valley H.S.) to end the game.

NMHU’s starting pitcher, Andrew Padilla recorded a complete-game victory in Game #1 to improve to 3-0 on the season. He allowed 8 hits, while recording 1 strikeout and allowing 1 walk. Luz Leal, Jr. (So., P/OF, Laredo, TX/Alexander Magnet H.S.) fell to 0-4 with the loss. Rodriguez was 3 of 3 with two singles and a triple for NMHU. Zipser, Matt Brown (Sr., C/1B, Napa, CA/Diablo Valley College) and Wagner each went 2 of 3 for ENMU.

A disastrous second inning hurt the Greyhounds in the second game. ENMU entered the inning trailing 1-0, but gave up 6 runs on 4 hits and 2 errors. The bases were loaded on singles by Nick Giacone and Planeta, plus a walk by Danny Schulz, when Paul Hill placed a squeeze bunt down the third base line. An errant throw ensued, with all three original base runners crossing the plate and Hill advancing to third. The remaining three runs scored on an RBI single by Royle and a 2-RBI single by Rebell.

The Greyhounds scored once in the bottom of the second inning on a sacrifice fly by Steven Romano (So., 3B, Las Cruces, NM/Onate H.S.). Romano’s fly ball also resulted in a triple play. Dickson reached on an error, and Brown and Matt Sulli (Jr., OF, Carlsbad, CA/San Diego Mesa College) singled, as the Greyhounds loaded the bases with no outs. Romano sent his sacrifice fly to left, scoring Dickson from third.

When the ball was thrown to the plate, Brown and Sulli attempted to advance. Both were thrown out, as the ball went from home to second, then on to third for one out, and back to second for another.

Highlands put the game out of reach by scoring three runs the third inning. Hill provided a 2-run single, and Dunn drove in one run with a double, as NMHU’s lead increased to 10-1.

ENMU reliever Ryan Hess (Fr., RHP, Surrey, BC/Langley Fine Arts School) gave the Hounds solid pitching over the final 4 1/3 innings. He gave up just 4 hits and 1 run, while earning 2 strikeouts.

The Hounds scored once in the fourth on an RBI double by Sulli, and also tallied a run in the fifth on an RBI single by McMann. NMHU earned the final run in the top of the sixth, when Rebell doubled down the line, reached third on a wild pitch, and scored on a single by Giacone.

Micah Kellers recorded the win for NMHU. He improved to 3-0 on the season. Greg Stimack (Sr., RHP, Lakewood, CO/J.K. Mullen H.S.) dropped to 2-4 with the loss for ENMU.

Giacone supplied 3 hits in 4 at bats to the lead the Cowboys. Royle, Dunn, ReBell and Planeta added 2 hits apiece. Brown paced Eastern, with 3 hits in 3 at bats. Sulli was 2 for 3.

Zipser was 3 for 7 in the double-header, and finished the evening with a .394 batting average for the season. He has hit .500 in Eastern’s last 12 games (23 of 46, 20 runs, 14 RBIs).

The Greyhounds conclude the season this weekend with a 3-game Lone Star Conference series at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas. The teams will play two 7-inning games on Friday, Apr. 20, at 3:00 p.m. (MDT), followed by a single 9-inning game at 11:00 a.m. (MDT) on Saturday, Apr. 21.