New Mexico Highlands Slips Past ENMU, 11-9

LAS VEGAS, NM – Eastern New Mexico University rallied twice from four-run deficits to tie New Mexico Highlands University, 9-9, but the Cowboys scored the game’s final two runs to slip past the Greyhounds, 11-9, Mar. 26 at Brandt Field. NMHU, which has won 13 of its last 15 games, improved to 14-9. ENMU, which has lost nine games in a row, fell to 7-30.

With the win, Highlands took a 2-1 lead over Eastern in the season series. The Greyhounds and the Cowboys will meet two more times - both at ENMU - on Apr. 8 at 6 p.m. (MST) and on Apr. 15 at 6 p.m. (MST).

The go-ahead runs came in the bottom of the seventh inning, right after Eastern scored four times in the top of the inning to tie the game. With one out, Tony Bitker of Highlands was hit by a pitch. He advanced to second on an errant pick-off throw, then moved to third when Chris Wainhouse reached base on an error by shortstop Steven Romano (Sr., SS/3B, Las Cruces, NM/Onate HS). Romano entered the inning with just one error all season.

Brian Fryer singled to center field to score Bitker and advance Wainhouse to third. David Coats then reached first base on a fielder’s choice, as Fryer was thrown out at second. Romano momentarily mishandled the grounder, which prevented the Greyhounds from converting the double play and allowed Wainhouse to score an insurance run for NMHU.
Eastern sent four batters to the plate in the eighth inning, but did not get a runner past first base. In the ninth, Boe Parr (Fr., 1B/C, Santa Fe, NM/Capital HS) walked, then gave way to pinch-runner Trevor Albritton (Fr., IF, Roswell, NM/Roswell HS). Albritton went to second on a ground out by Justin Gee (Fr., LF/RF, Clovis, NM/Clovis HS) and took third on a ground out by Josh Kuchta (So., 3B/OF, Clovis, NM/Clovis HS).

Mark Wallace (So., CF, Alamogordo, NM/Alamogordo HS) followed with a hard grounder over the bag at second, but Coats, at shortstop, reached the ball and threw to first to end the game. Reliever Carlos Augilar, Jr., picked up the win (1-0), despite throwing only the final out of the seventh inning. Alton Tomlin pitched in the eighth and ninth to earn his fourth save.

Neither team scored in the first inning, but the Cowboys struck for two runs in each of the next two innings. Designated hitter Marty Rael, who finished the game 4 for 4 with two runs, singled to right field to open the second inning. He stole second, then scored on a single by Mark Soriano. Wainhouse hit a sacrifice fly to center later in the inning to drive in Soriano.

In the third inning, Coats reached first and second on a dropped fly ball and Mark Planeta followed with a base on balls. Two more wild pitches during the inning allowed both runners to score, giving NMHU a 4-0 lead.

Franco Barrero (Sr., DH/1B, Laredo, TX/Laredo JC) singled for ENMU to start the fourth inning. A single by Dallas McMann (Sr., C, Amarillo, TX/Randall HS) was mishandled by Soriano in left field, and both runners advanced an extra base. Mike McDuffie (Fr., 2B/3B, Albuquerque, NM/Sandia HS) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Romano hit into a 4-6-3 double play, but Barrero scored from third. McMann reached home plate later in the inning on a passed ball.

The Greyhounds added two runs in the fifth on RBI singles by Wallace and Barrero, then scored once in the sixth when Gee walked and eventually scored on a wild pitch. NMHU stayed in front with one run in the fourth, two runs in the fifth and two runs in the sixth for a 9-5 lead.

Eastern’s four-run seventh featured one hit and no errors, but all four runs were scored after McDuffie and Barrero were at first and third, respectively, with two outs. Romano walked, and was quickly followed by Parr, who also walked. Barrero scored on the play.
Gee drove in the next two runs on a single to center field. Parr supplied the fourth run when Wallace was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. NMHU began the inning with Brad Barton on the mound, but also used Derek Adams and Aguilar to stop Eastern’s threat.

The teams used a total of 11 pitchers. Trevor Davis (So., RHP, Denver, CO/Evergreen HS), the last of four pitchers for ENMU, suffered the loss and fell to 2-6. ENMU starter Kelly Crain (Fr., RHP, Gordon, TX/Gordon HS) led all pitchers with five strikeouts, but left with two outs in the second inning, and was credited with allowing four runs, including three earned runs.

Rael’s 4 for 4 at the plate topped all players. Fryer was 3 for 5 and Planeta was 2 for 4 for NMHU. Barrero and McDuffie each earned 2 hits in 4 at bats for Eastern. Gee was 1 for 4, but scored twice and had two RBIs. The Cowboys achieved 14 hits, while ENMU had nine hits.

The Greyhounds, whose nine-game losing streak includes five one-run losses and a pair of two-run losses, will return to action on Monday, Mar. 31, against Lubbock Christian University at Greyhound Field. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m. (MST).