Athletic Report
February 3, 2001

EAST CENTRAL SLIPS PAST ENMU, 10-9
Game Features Six Lead Changes
STEPHENVILLE, TX — East Central University and Eastern New Mexico University exchanged the lead six times in their seven-inning game at the Texan Club Shootout, Feb. 3 in Stephenville, Texas. The final lead change, which came in the bottom of the seventh, gave ECU a 10-9 win over the Greyhounds. With the win, East Central improved to 2-2. ENMU dropped to 1-2 on the season.

Eastern New Mexico fell behind 3-0 in the bottom of the first inning, as the Tigers used three singles and a double by Nick Jackson to take an early lead. ENMU countered with four runs in the third inning, which featured four hits, including a 2-run double by Ryan Dickson (Jr., 1B, Trail, BC/Big Bend C.C.).

ECU regained the lead in the bottom of the inning. The Tigers recorded four more hits, including consecutive doubles by Beau Galloway and Jason Pooler. The game was tied, 6-6, after four innings.

The Greyhounds scored two unearned runs in the top of the fourth to take a 6-5 lead, but ECU tallied one run in the bottom of the stanza. ENMU moved in front, 7-6, in the top of the fifth, as Steven Romano (So., 3B, Las Cruces, NM/Onate H.S.) singled, advanced to third on a double by Franco Barrero (So., DH, Laredo, TX/Laredo J.C.) and scored on an outfield error.

Greg Stimack (Sr., P, Lakewood, CO/J.K. Mullen H.S.), who missed all of last season with a broken humerus and a complete rotator cuff tear, saw his first action in two years against the Tigers. He pitched the fifth and sixth innings, and faced one batter in the seventh. He allowed just one hit — a single — but hit two batters and threw two wild pitches, while giving up a total of three runs. The NCAA previously granted Stimack an extra year to complete his eligibility.

After ECU scored two times in the fifth, ENMU trailed 8-7. The Hounds responded with two runs in the seventh inning, with both runs scoring on a home run by Matt Sulli (Jr., CF, Carlsbad, NM/San Diego Mesa College). Sulli hit the homer to right field after shortstop David Jones (Sr., Sierra Vista, AZ/Eastern Arizona) reached on an error with two outs.

The Tigers scored twice in the bottom of the seventh for the win. Trevor Maxwell was hit by a pitch to open the stanza. Charles Copeland followed with a bunt single. Both runners scored with no outs two batters later on a double by Jeremy Solomon.

East Central outhit Eastern New Mexico, 14-8. The Tigers were led by Jackson, who went 3 for 4 with a run and 2 RBIs. Brian Young, Steven Rupert and Pooler each added 2 hits. Pooler scored twice and also drove in 2 runs.

For Eastern, Sulli was the offensive leader, with 2 hits in 3 at bats. He scored 3 runs and recorded 3 RBIs. His homer in the seventh was the only four-bagger for either team. Matt Brown (Sr., C, Napa, CA/Diablo Valley College) also went 2 for 3 for the Greyhounds. He walked once and scored twice.

Young (1-0) was the winning pitcher for ECU. He pitched the final two innings and allowed 2 unearned runs. Tim King (Sr., P, Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad H.S.), who entered the game with a runner on first in the seventh inning, fell to 1-1 with the loss.