Athletic Report
March 6, 2001

ENMU RALLIES FOR 7-5 WIN TO START
DOUBLE-HEADER SWEEP AT WAYLAND BAPTIST
Two-Run Homer by Dickson Breaks 5-5 tie in 7th Inning
PLAINVIEW, TX — Pinch-hitter Ryan Dickson (Jr., 1B, Trail, BC, Canada/Big Bend C.C.) hit a 2-run homer with one out in the top of the seventh inning to break a 5-5 tie and send Eastern New Mexico University to a 7-5 victory over Wayland Baptist University, in the first game of a double-header, Mar. 6 at Wilder Field.

The Greyhounds won the second game, 15-6, to sweep the double-header and improve to 11-12 on the season. WBU fell to 9-6 overall. ENMU has won 3 of 4 games against the Pioneers this spring. Dickson’s seventh-inning blast completed an ENMU rally from a 5-0 deficit after 5 innings.

The Greyhounds scored twice in the sixth inning to pull within 5-2, then tallied 5 runs in the top of the seventh to win the game. Franco Barrero (So., 1B/3B, Laredo, TX/Laredo J.C.) walked with one out in the sixth inning and Steven Romano (So., 3B, Las Cruces, NM/Onate H.S.) followed with a single to start the comeback.

After Wayland Baptist recorded the second out on an infield fly, Chris Stewart (Sr., OF/P, Albuquerque, NM/Manzano H.S.) singled to score Barrero. Senior catcher Matt Brown (Napa, CA/Diablo Valley College) drove in Romano with another single. In the seventh, Barrero hit an RBI double and Romano drove in two more runs with a single, as the Greyhounds tied the game, 5-5, to set up Dickson’s game-wining hit. The homer by Dickson was his second of the season. He added another homer in the second inning of the second game.

Pitcher Gabe Estrada (Jr., RHP, Jal, NM/New Mexico J.C.) entered the game at the start of the sixth for ENMU, and faced just four batters before retiring the side. He hit Cody Creswell with a pitch to open the seventh inning, and was replaced by Gabe DeHoyos (Jr., RHP, Artesia, NM/Trinidad J.C.). DeHoyos forced a ground out, then recorded back-to-back strikeouts to end the game and earn his first save of the season. Barrero and Romano each finished the game 2 for 3 with 2 runs scored for ENMU.

Other top hitters for the Greyhounds in the first game were Brown, 2 for 4, and Jeff Zipser (Sr., Las Vegas, NV/Victor Valley College), who went 2 for 5 and scored a run. For WBU, Melvin Colon was 2 for 3 with a double and a 2-run homer.

Casey Otho added 2 hits and 2 RBIs in 4 at bats. In the second game, the Pioneers scored one run in the first inning, but ENMU rallied for an 8-1 lead with 4 runs each in the second and third stanzas.

Dickson hit a 3-run homer to start the scoring barrage, and David Jones (Sr., SS/OF, Sierra Vista, AZ/Eastern Arizona College) followed immediately with a solo homer. In the third inning, Romano hit an RBI single and Dallas McMann (So., C, Amarillo, TX/Randall H.S.) launched a 3-run homer.

The Pioneers tallied two runs in the bottom of the third. J.J. Peirce hit a double to drive in one run. He later scored the other run on a wild pitch. ENMU increased its lead to 13-3 with 5 runs in the fifth inning. Stewart singled to open the stanza, then crossed home plate when an outfielder misplayed a single by Romano. Four other ENMU players hit an RBI single during the inning. WBU scored once in the fifth, and both teams created two runs in the seventh, to complete the scoring.

Jones connected on a 2-run homer, his second four-bagger of the game, to drive in Eastern’s final runs with one out in the seventh. Starting pitcher Jerry Macias pitched 6 2/3 innings for ENMU, while improving his record to 2-0 on the season. Estrada faced just one batter, Cole Ramsey, and earned a strikeout to end the game. Justin Voigt (0-1) took the loss for the Pioneers.

Jones led Eastern’s 16-hit attack. He was 3 for 4 with 3 runs and 4 RBIs in the game. Xarin Escobedo (Jr., SS/2B, Mexico City, Mexico/El Paso C.C.) also went 3 for 4, while scoring twice and driving in one run. Dickson was 2 for 3, crossed the plate 3 times, and recorded 3 RBIs. Matt Sulli (Jr., OF, Carlsbad, CA/San Diego Mesa College) was 2 for 5 with a double and one RBI.

Overall, 6 Greyhounds earned at least 2 hits during the game. The Pioneers totaled 9 hits. Top batters for WBU were Peirce and Stephen Quezada. Peirce finished 3 for 4 with 2 runs and 3 RBIs. Quezada went 2 for 4 and earned 2 RBIs.

Eastern New Mexico’s next games will be in a double-header, Saturday, Mar. 10, at New Mexico Highlands University. First pitch is set for 12:00 noon (MST). ENMU and NMHU will also play one 9-inning game on Sunday, Mar. 11, at 1:00 p.m. (MST).