Kennedy Hits Inside-the-Park Home Run
in Second Inning of 9-6 Win over Sul Ross State
ENMU Breaks Tie with Three Runs in Seventh Inning

Box Score

ALPINE, TEXAS — Eastern New Mexico University scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning to defeat Sul Ross State University, 9-6, in a non-conference baseball game, Saturday, Feb. 5 at Kokernot Field. ENMU, which also defeated the Lobos, 8-2, on Friday, Feb. 4, swept the two-game series to open the season.

With the score tied 6-6, junior right fielder Justin Gee (Clovis, NM/Clovis HS) led off the seventh inning with a double to center field. Mike McDuffie (So., 3B, Albuquerque, NM/Sandia HS) batted next and was hit by a pitch. With two men on, Derrick Kennedy (Fr., CF, San Antonio, TX/G.W. Brackenridge HS) singled to load the bases.

Gerald Juarez (Jr., C, Carlsbad, NM/N.M. Military Institute) followed with a fielder’s choice for an RBI, as Gee raced home on the play. A sacrifice bunt by Gilbert Alvarado (Jr., LF, Roswell, NM/New Mexico State University) with one out allowed McDuffie to score. Juarez scored on a two-out double by Bryan Moore (Sr., 2B, Wolfforth, TX/Howard Junior College).

ENMU took an early lead with three runs in the top of the second inning. The first run was scored by Gee on a double by McDuffie. Kennedy followed with a two-run inside the park homer. The ball nicked the center fielder’s glove, sailed off the right fielder’s leg and ricocheted toward the fence. It rebounded off the fence on a trajectory toward right field. Kennedy and McDuffie scored on the play. The Lobos answered in the bottom half of the inning, scoring four runs, three earned, to take a 4-3 lead.

Brett Scherer (Sr., DH, Ingram, TX/Midland College) led off the third inning with a double to right field. With two outs, McDuffie also doubled, bringing Scherer home and tying the game at 4-4. A wild pitch by Sul Ross State allowed McDuffie to advance to third, and Kennedy followed with a walk. The Lobos’ Michael Otero then committed an error at third on a grounder by Juarez, as McDuffie scored and Eastern regained the lead, 5-4.

In the top of the fifth inning, the Greyhounds extended their lead to 6-4 when Alvarado doubled in Kennedy. Sul Ross came back in the bottom of sixth, tying the game 6-6 on a two-run homer by Rafael Gonzalez.

Trevor Davis (Sr., P, Evergreen, CO/Evergreen HS) replaced middle reliever Keith Balderaz (So., RHP, Monahans, TX/Monahans HS) following the home run. He struck out the next two batters to get out of the inning with the score still tied. In the seventh, Davis sandwiched two more strikeouts around a single, then gave up a second single to bring the tying run to the plate. Davis got Kyle Baldeschwiler to ground out to Moore to preserve the victory.

Davis was the winning pitcher. Victor Lozano, who pitched all seven innings for Sul Ross State, took the loss. Lozano gave up 11 hits and four walks.

Kennedy, McDuffie, Scherer and Gee each earned two hits for ENMU. Kennedy was 2 for 2, McDuffie was 2 for 3, and Scherer and Gee were 2 for 4. Gonzalez recorded two hits in three at bats for the Lobos, while Julian Delgado added two hits in four at bats.

ENMU’s home opener will match the Greyhounds against the Colorado School of Mines in a double-header on Saturday, Feb. 12, at Greyhound Field. First pitch is slated for 1 p.m. MST. Eastern will wrap up the series with a single game against Colorado Mines on Sunday, Feb. 13, also at 1 p.m. MST.