Athletic Report
March 25, 2002

GREYHOUNDS PULL AWAY FOR 13-4 WIN OVER COLLEGE OF THE SOUTHWEST
Dickson and Barrero Blast Homers for ENMU
PORTALES, NM – Luz Leal, Jr. (Jr., LHP, Laredo, TX/Alexander Magnet H.S.) threw five solid innings and the Greyhounds pounded out 13 runs on 15 hits, as Eastern New Mexico University defeated College of the Southwest, 13-4, at Greyhound Field, March 25. With the non-conference win, the Greyhounds improved to 10-22 on the season. The Mustangs dropped to 21-7 overall.

Leal gave up only 3 runs (2 earned), while limiting CSW to 5 hits (4 singles). He left the game with ENMU in front 4-3. His teammates provided plenty of support by scoring the final 10 runs of the game. Leal picked up his first decision of the season (1-0).

ENMU had to rally from an early 2-0 deficit. The Mustangs tallied single runs in the second and third innings, as Francisco Cota singled home Casey Wright for the first run and Aaron Forrister hit a sacrifice fly to center field to plate Nick Mathews with the second run. Mathews’ run was unearned. The Hounds quickly took the lead with 3 runs on 3 hits in the bottom of the third inning.

Chris Fudge (Jr., C, Carlsbad, NM/N.M. Military Institute) and Steven Romano (Jr., 3B, Las Cruces, NM/Onate H.S.) opened the inning with singles. They both scored on a triple to left center by Xarin Escobedo (Sr., SS, Mexico City, MEX/El Paso C.C.). Escobedo scored when Aaron Dunn grounded out to second base for the first out of the inning.

CSW escaped without further damage, as starter Scooter LaFavers ended the stanza with a strikeout and a ground out. CSW temporarily tied the game 3-3, when Cota singled with one out in the fourth inning, then scored on a double by Micah Pennies.

ENMU regained the lead for good, 4-3, on a solo home run to right field by senior designated hitter Ryan Dickson (Sr., DH/1B, Trail, BC/Big Bend C.C.). The Hounds extended their lead to 6-3 on a two-run homer by Franco Barrero (Jr., 1B/DH, Laredo, TX/Laredo J.C.) in the sixth inning. Dallas McMann (Jr., C/DH, Amarillo, TX/Randall H.S.), who singled with one out in the sixth, also scored on the play.

The Mustangs scored once in the top of the seventh, but the Greyhounds answered with five runs in the bottom of the seventh and two more in the eighth to turn the game into a rout. In the seventh, Mark Wallace (Fr., CF, Alamogordo, NM/Alamogordo H.S.) hit a 2-run double and Chris Hill (Jr., 2B, Boise, ID/Scottsdale C.C.) pounded out an RBI double. Barrero and Dickson also earned RBIs during the inning.

In the eighth, Wallace drove in one run with a triple and McMann brought in the other run with a double. Four ENMU pitchers each threw one inning in relief. Ryan Hess (So., RHP, Surrey, BC/Langley Fine Arts School) threw a scoreless sixth inning, while Josh Kuchta (Fr., RHP, Clovis, NM/Clovis H.S.) gave up one hit and hit a batter before limiting the Mustangs to one run in the seventh.

Ian Thurman-Kelly (So., LHP, Denver, CO/Lamar C.C.) and Gabe DeHoyos (Sr., RHP, Artesia, NM/Trinidad J.C.) each held CSW hitless and struck out one batter, while throwing in the eighth and ninth inning, respectively. Eastern’s 15-hit attack was led by Escobedo, who went 3 for 4 with 3 runs and 2 RBIs.

McMann added a 3 for 5 performance, with 2 doubles, 2 runs and an RBI. Wallace went 2 for 5 with 2 runs and 3 RBIs. He also smacked two extra-base hits, a double and a triple. Dickson’s homer, his third of the season, helped him go 2 for 4. Romano added 2 hits in 4 at bats. He also scored twice. Barrero went 1 for 4 with a run and 3 RBIs.

Overall, eight ENMU batters had at least one hit. The Mustangs had two players with two hits apiece. Nick Mathews was 2 for 3 and scored 2 runs. Cota was 2 for 4 with a run and an RBI. ENMU plays again on Tuesday, Mar. 26, at Lubbock Christian University. First pitch in Lubbock, Texas, is set for 2:00 p.m. (MST). The Hounds and the Chaps will play one 9-inning game. Following the game at LCU, Eastern returns to Greyhound Field for another game with College of the Southwest on Thursday, Mar. 28. The 9-inning game is slated to begin at 2:00 p.m. (MST).