Dallas McMann Gives ENMU Insurance Runs with Homer in 8th Inning of 7-4 Win over WBU

PORTALES, NM – Senior catcher Dallas McMann (Amarillo, TX/Randall HS) went 2 for 4 at the plate, including a two-run homer to left field in the eighth inning, as Eastern New Mexico University defeated Wayland Baptist University, 7-4, at Greyhound Field on Tuesday, Feb. 4. ENMU, playing its home opener, improved to 2-3 on the season. WBU fell to 2-2.

The Greyhounds rallied from a 1-0 deficit. Calen Laos doubled to open the game for Wayland Baptist, and scored later in the first inning on a sacrifice fly by Israel Castillo. The Pioneers held their slim lead until the bottom of the third inning.

ENMU moved in front with four hits in the third. Mike McDuffie (Fr, 3B, Albuquerque, NM/Sandia HS) started the inning with a single to right field. Shawn Peterson followed with a sacrifice bunt down the first base line, as McDuffie advanced to second base. With two outs, Armando Urias (Fr., LF, Taos, NM/U. of New Mexico) drove in McDuffie with a double down the right field line.

Mark Wallace (So., CF, Alamogordo, NM/Alamogordo HS) followed with an RBI single. After Wallace moved to second on a stolen base, McMann doubled to center field. Wallace scored on the play, but McMann was thrown out attempting to stretch the hit into a triple.

The Greyhounds added one run in the fourth inning. Franco Barrero (Sr., DH/1B, Laredo, TX/Laredo JC) doubled to right center with one out, then advanced to third on a ground out by Chris VanZant (Jr., 1B/LHP, Las Vegas, NV/Victor Valley CC). Barrero scored on an infield single by McDuffie, as ENMU increased its lead to 4-1.

Wayland edged closer to the Greyhounds with single runs in the sixth and eighth innings. In the sixth, Castillo singled with two outs, and later scored on a single by Robert Mendoza. In the eighth Laos recorded a leadoff single, stole second and scored on a two-out infield hit by Mike Richardson.

ENMU added a trio of insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth to all but clinch the win. Urias walked to open the stanza, then took second base on a sacrifice bunt by Wallace. McMann followed with his home run, giving Eastern a 6-3 lead. With two outs, Barrero singled to right field, then gave way to pinch runner Trevor Albritton (Fr., IF, Roswell, NM/Roswell High School). Albritton stole second base, and VanZant walked. Both runners advanced on a double steal, with Albritton scoring when the WBU catcher overthrew third base.

Logan Rankin of Wayland Baptist reached first base on an error to begin the top of the ninth inning. Brandon Wilson pinch ran for Rankin, and moved to second base when Felix Castillo walked. Laos lined out to center field for the first out of the inning.

Julio Hinojosa struck out, but a wild pitch allowed him to reach first base, with Castillo and Wilson going to second and third, respectively. Israel Castillo singled to right field to score Wilson, but Richardson grounded out the mound to end the game.

ENMU’s starting pitcher, sophomore Trevor Davis (RHP, Denver, CO/Evergreen HS), allowed nine hits in 7 2/3 innings. He gave up two hits in the first inning, then registered three consecutive hitless innings. WBU finally managed another hit in the fifth stanza, followed by three in the sixth and three in the seventh. Davis struck out six batters and did not allow a walk.

Mike Cervera (Jr., RHP, El Paso, TX/El Paso CC) relieved Davis with runners at first and second and ENMU leading 4-3 in the eighth. Cervera forced Grady Sanders into a ground out to end the stanza. In the ninth, Cervera allowed an unearned run and left the bases loaded, but preserved the win to earn his first save.

McMann led all players with three RBIs, while Barrero paced Eastern with 3 hits in 4 at bats. McDuffie and McMann both went 2 for 4. Urias was 1 for 3 with two runs scored.
Richardson connected for 3 hits in 5 at bats for WBU. Laos was 2 for 5 and scored two runs. Israel Castillo was 2 for 4 with a pair of RBIs, and Mendoza was 2 for 4 with one RBI. WBU’s starting pitcher, Taylor Allen, threw five complete innings. He gave up six hits and four runs. He earned six strikeouts and walked two batters.

ENMU and Wayland Baptist will meet again on Friday and Saturday (Feb. 7-8), during the Broken Bat Tournament in Plainview, Texas. The event, featuring only wooden bats, pits ENMU and West Texas A&M University from the Lone Star Conference against WBU and Lubbock Christian University from the Sooner Athletic Conference. The Greyhounds will play LCU at 11:30 a.m. (MST) each day, before taking on Wayland Baptist at 2 p.m. (MST).