Greyhounds Defeat Lubbock Christian, 5-4 ENMU Ends 9-Game Losing Streak

PORTALES, NM – Eastern New Mexico University starting pitcher Jerry Macias (Sr., RHP, Las Cruces, NM/Las Cruces HS) helped ENMU earn a 5-4 lead over the first six innings, and three relievers closed the game by throwing one scoreless inning apiece, as the Greyhounds defeated Lubbock Christian University, 5-4, Mar. 31 at Greyhound Field. ENMU, which ended a 9-game losing streak, improved to 8-30 overall. Lubbock Christian fell to 28-17.

It was the Hounds’ first win in 11 one-run games this season, and was ENMU’s second win in 17 games decided by two runs or less. Eastern and LCU tied the season series, 2-2.

The game started slowly for the Greyhounds, as LCU’s first two batters hit into errors by the ENMU defense. Leadoff batter Derrick Peoples reached first on an error by shortstop Steven Romano (Sr., Las Cruces, NM/Onate HS). Jay Eggemeyer followed with a grounder to third that Mike McDuffie (Fr., 3B, Albuquerque, NM/Sandia HS) threw wildly toward first. Peoples scored and Eggemeyer went to third. Eggemeyer scored on a single by Rohan Brasher.

Eastern plated a run in the bottom of the first. Mark Wallace (So., CF, Alamogordo, NM/Alamogordo HS) singled to start the inning, then Boyd Erickson (Jr., RF, Anchorage, AK/Victor Valley CC) beat out an infield single down the first base line. LCU pitcher Joe Miller threw out Wallace as he tried to reach third on the play. Franco Barrero (Sr., DH/1B, Laredo, TX/Laredo JC) reached base when his fly ball was dropped by center fielder Victor Rodriguez. Erickson eventually scored on two-out single by McDuffie.

The Hounds took a 4-2 lead with three runs in the bottom of the second inning. Romano walked to start the rally, before scoring on a triple by Chris Hill (Sr., 2B, Boise, ID/Scottsdale CC). Trevor Albritton (Fr., LF, Roswell, NM/Roswell HS) drove in Hill with a single to right field. Albritton stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch and eventually scored when Erickson grounded out for the second out of the inning.
Eastern led the rest of the way, but the Chaparrals cut the lead to 4-3 in the third, when Brasher hit a two-out single, advanced on a wild pitch, and scored on a base hit by Justin Galvan. The Hounds regained a two-run cushion in the fifth, when Dallas McMann (Sr., C/DH, Amarillo, TX/Randall HS) and McDuffie hit consecutive singles that were misplayed in the outfield. The second error allowed McMann to score.

The game’s final run was scored by Adrian Ballesteros of LCU in the top of the sixth. The Hounds quickly recorded two outs in the inning, before Ballesteros went to the plate and hit an infield single to third. Anthony Bennett and Justin Sundlie provided back-to-back singles to drive in Ballesteros. Macias got Rodriguez to hit into a fielder’s choice to end the inning.

After the sixth, the game was in the hands of Eastern’s relief corps, which gave up no runs and only one hit over the final three innings. Even so, Mike Cervera (Jr., RHP, El Paso, TX/El Paso CC) faced a challenge in the seventh, when Peoples walked and later stood at third with one out. Cervera stopped the threat by sandwiching two strikeouts around a walk by Galvan.

In the eighth, David Swinconos (Fr., LHP, Wolfforth, TX/Frenship HS) gave up a two-out single to Sundlie, but struck out pinch-hitter Ryan Bullard to complete the stanza. In the ninth, closer Trevor Davis (So., RHP, Denver, CO/Evergreen HS) saw Peoples reach first on an outfield error. Davis got Eggemeyer to fly out, then forced Brasher to hit into a fielder’s choice, before causing Galvan to fly out to left field to end the game.

Macias improved to 2-5 with the win. He previously lost a 1-0 game to Colorado School of Mines and dropped a 5-4 decision against Texas A&M-Kingsville. Against LCU, he struck out three batters, gave up seven hits - all singles - and allowed one walk. Davis picked up his second save of the season. LCU starter Joe Miller threw a complete-game, but fell to 2-1.

Erickson and McDuffie both went 2 for 4 for the Greyhounds. Erickson also scored once and drove in one run, while McDuffie recorded one RBI. Five other Hounds each registered one hit. Hill’s triple was the only extra-base hit for either team.

Brasher was 2 for 5 with a run and an RBI for the Chaparrals. Ballesteros added two hits and a run in four at bats, while Sundlie went 2 for 3 with an RBI. Eastern outhit LCU, 9-8.
The Greyhounds will play at Wayland Baptist University on Tuesday, April 1. First pitch for the 9-inning game is set for 2 p.m. (MST). Following the game, the Hounds will be idle until Friday, Apr. 4, when they will play a Lone Star Conference double-header (one 7-inning game and one 9-inning game) against West Texas A&M University, starting at 2 p.m. (MST). ENMU and WTAMU will play one 9-inning game on Saturday, Apr. 5, starting at 12 noon (MST).