Gee Hits Grand Slam to Start Double-Header Sweep of Sul Ross State on Opening Day
Greyhounds Blast Six Homers in 8-6, 11-6 Sweep of Lobos

Box Score - Game #1, ENMU 8, SRSU 6
Box Score - Game #2, ENMU 11, SRSU 6

Senior right fielder Justin Gee (Clovis, NM/Clovis HS) blasted a grand slam home run in his first at bat as Eastern New Mexico University's clean-up hitter, starting a 7-run first inning in the Greyhounds' 8-6 victory over Sul Ross State University, in the first game of an opening-day sweep over the Lobos on Friday, Feb. 3. Eastern hit two more home runs in the first inning. In the second game, ENMU pounded out three homers, as the Greyhounds rallied from 5-4 and 6-5 deficits for an 11-6 win.

ENMU is 2-0 and Sul Ross State is 0-2 on the season. The teams will play another double-header on Saturday, Feb. 4, starting at 11 a.m. MST.

In the first inning of the first game, Gee went to the plate with the bases loaded and no outs. His grand slam gave ENMU a quick 4-0 lead. Also scoring on the play were Ryan French (Sr., CF, Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad HS), who walked, Matt Hinojosa (Sr., SS, Baytown, TX/Laredo CC), who recorded a single, and Derrick Kennedy (So., 3B, San Antonio, TX/G.W. Brackenridge HS), who walked to load the bases. Later in the inning, Mike McDuffie (Jr., 2B, Albuquerque, NM/Sandia HS) hit a solo homer and Kelton Hayes (Jr., DH, Guthrie, OK/Northlake CC) added a two-run homer.

Starting pitcher Kelly Crain (Sr., RHP, Gordon, TX/Gordon HS), 1-0, gave up just two runs in the first five innings, but allowed four tallies in the sixth stanza, as the Lobos benefited from an infield error. Crain allowed only one earned run overall, as he struck out three batters and walked three batters. Keith Balderaz (So., RHP, Monahans, TX/Monahans HS) recorded a save after retiring the first three batters in the seventh inning.

In the second game, Eastern led 3-0 after one and a half innings, but SRSU took a 5-4 lead with four runs in the fifth. ENMU tied the game with a solo homer by Kennedy in the seventh, only to have Sul Ross move back in front, 6-5, on a solo homer by Sammy Robles in the bottom of the inning. Eastern tied the game when Hayes drove in pinch-runner Stephen Lopez-Barela (Fr., OF, Alamogordo, NM/Alamogordo HS) on a fielder's choice in the eighth.

The Hounds plated five runs in the ninth inning for the win. McDuffie doubled with one out to drive in French with the go-ahead run. Seth Clabaugh (Fr., OF, Portales, NM/Angelo State University) drove in the next two runs with a double. Pinch-hitter Jeff Roemer (Jr., 1B/RHP, Woodbury, MN/Rochester Community and Technical College) followed with anothe double to score Clabaugh. Roemer scored the game's final run, when Tyler Brown (Sr., C, Aurora, CO/Arapahoe CC) continued the string of hits with a single to center field.

Clabaugh and French each hit solo homers earlier in the game. Clabaugh's homer provided the second run in Eastern's three-run second inning. The first run scored when McDuffie singled, stole second and advanced to third and home on a passed ball. Tim Crafton (Jr., LF, Farmington, NM/New Mexico Military Institute) drove in the third run with a sacrifice fly. The home run by French opened the fifth inning by giving Eastern a 4-1 lead.

Charlie Ward (So., RHP, Roswell, NM/Trinidad State College), who threw the final two innings for ENMU, earned the win for a 1-0 record. He faced seven batters and gave up just one hit. David Swinconos (Sr., LHP, Lubbock, TX/Frenship HS) pitched the first five innings and allowed five runs, including four earned runs. Gee threw for ENMU over the next two stanzas. He gave up the solo homer to Robles, but did not allow another hit, while earning three strikeouts.

Hayes was 4 for 7 with three RBIs during the double-header. Hinojosa and McDuffie each contributed four hits in nine at bats. McDuffie scored three runs and was credited with two RBIs.