Athletic Report
February 10, 2001

GREYHOUNDS SHUT OUT WAYLAND BAPTIST, 6-0
King Pitches 3-Hitter for Complete Game Victory
LUBBOCK, TX — Senior pitcher Tim King (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad H.S.) earned a complete-game shutout and allowed just 3 hits, as Eastern New Mexico University defeated Wayland Baptist University, 6-0, in the Broken Bat Tournament, Feb. 10 at Lubbock Christian University. ENMU improved to 2-3 on the season (1-0 Broken Bat), while WBU dropped to 0-2 (0-2 Broken Bat).

King recorded 6 strikeouts and walked 4 batters. He threw 123 pitches in claiming the 7-inning win. Casey Otho, J.J. Peirce and Cole Ramsey earned WBU’s only hits — all singles. The Pioneers never achieved more than one hit in the same inning.

ENMU opened the scoring with two runs in the top of the second inning. Xarin Escobedo (Jr., SS, Mexico City, Mexico/El Paso C.C.) singled to left to start the inning. Matt Brown (Sr., C, Napa, CA/Diablo Valley College) followed with a single through the right side. Escobedo stole third base later in the inning, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Matt Sulli (Jr., LF, Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad H.S.).

Eddie Jimenez (Sr., 3B/2B, Tucumcari, NM/N.M. Military Institute), the courtesy runner for Brown, also scored during the inning on a single to left center by Jeff Zipser (Sr., 2B, Las Vegas, NV/Victor Valley College).

The Greyhounds plated three more runs in the third inning. Ryan Dickson (Jr., 1B, Trail, BC (Canada)/Big Bend C.C.) led off with a home run to left field. It was his first homer of the season. Steven Romano (So., 3B, Las Cruces, NM/Onate H.S.) and Dallas McMann (So., DH/C, Amarillo, TX/Randall H.S.) followed with back-to-back walks.

Both players scored during the inning. Romano advanced to third and home on a throwing error, while McMann reached home on a single to center field by David Jones (Sr., CF, Sierra Vista, AZ/Eastern Arizona).

ENMU scored the game’s final run in the top of the fifth. Romano singled to start the inning, advanced to second on an errant pick-of attempt, reached third on a wild pitch, and scored on a single up the middle by Brown. Sulli also singled during the inning, but Jimenez, running for Brown, was thrown out at the plate.

WBU’s best chance to score came in the bottom of the sixth, when the Pioneers left the bases loaded. Julian Vasquez was hit by a pitch with one out, and J.J. Peirce advanced Vasquez to second with an infield single up the middle. Steven Quezada hit a long fly out to center field that moved both runners up one base, then Sal Marquez walked. King got out of the predicament by striking out Kurtis Klug.

ENMU Head Coach Phil Clabaugh, in his 10th season with the Greyhounds, talked with his pitcher between innings. King, who threw 104 pitches in the first six innings, said he felt good and wanted to complete the game. Clabaugh left King on the mound, and the senior right- hander responded by recording back-to-back outs before walking Casey Otho. King concluded the game by striking out Melvin Colon. King threw 123 pitches overall, and improved to 2-1 on the season.

WBU’s starting pitcher, Brandon Henegar (0-1), gave up 6 runs (4 earned) in 4 2/3 innings, and received the loss. Henegar struck out 5 batters and allowed 3 walks. Romano went 2 for 2 with a walk and 2 runs scored for the Greyhounds. Brown added 2 hits and an RBI in 4 at bats.

Seven different Greyhounds produced at least one hit. Earlier in the day, WBU lost its tournament opener to West Texas A&M University, 8-1, as the Buffaloes scored three runs in both the third and fourth innings.

WTAMU and Lubbock Christian were scheduled to play immediately following the ENMU-WBU contest, with Eastern and LCU closing out the first day’s schedule. The tournament, which requires each team to use wooden bats, will conclude on Monday, Feb. 12. ENMU is slated to take on LCU at 9:00 a.m. (MST). The Hounds will battle WBU at 11:30 a.m. (MST).