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Hounds Rally from 5-Run Deficit with Seven Runs in Eighth Inning to Defeat Wayland Baptist, 15-14

Box Score

PLAINVIEW, TEXAS — In a game where both teams lost and regained leads, Eastern New Mexico University was able to come out ahead with a 15-14 victory over Wayland Baptist University on Tuesday, Feb. 14 at Wilder Field. The Greyhounds decisive rally came in a seven-run eighth inning, as they improved their record to 8-1 overall. WBU, an NAIA school competing in the Sooner Athletic Conference, dropped its overall record to 2-4.

Eastern was able to overcome eight errors and giving up five home runs by recording a .418 batting average and leaving only six runners on base in the roller coaster game. After squandering an 8-2 lead through four and a half innings, the Greyhounds faced a 13-8 deficit going into the eighth inning. Things were looking grim for Eastern with one out in the eighth, as Brian Green (Sr., C, Fountain Hills, AZ/Central Arizona College) struck out swinging on a wild pitch, which allowed him to reach first base. Back-to-back singles by Jeff Roemer (Jr., 1B/RF, Woodbury, MN/Rochester Community College) and Gilbert Alvarado (Sr., LF, Roswell, NM/New Mexico State University) loaded the bases. Another wild pitch by Lobo reliever Zach Winter got Green across the plate to cut the deficit to 13-9.

A walk to Ryan French (Sr., CF, Carlsbad, NM/Trinadad State Junior College) reloaded the bases and was followed by Matt Hinojosa’s (Sr., SS, Baytown, TX/Laredo Community College) sacrifice fly to get Eastern to within three runs with two outs. An RBI single by Micah Bernhardt (Sr., 3B, Gypsum, CO/Arapahoe Community College) and a two-RBI single by Tim Crafton (Jr., PH/RF, Farmington, NM/New Mexico Military Institute) tied the game at 13-13. A throwing error allowed Crafton to advance to second base and Gates’ third wild pitch of the inning, in combination with catcher Brian Bueno’s ensuing throwing error, allowed Crafton to score. Eastern had retaken the lead at 14-13 and made it a two run advantage on Mike McDuffie’s (Jr., 2B, Albuquerque, NM/Sandia High School) home run, his third of the season. Charlie Ward (So., RHP, Roswell, NM/Trinadad State Junior College), the sixth Hound pitcher of the game, came in the eighth and limited the Lobos to a solo homerun by Matt Knobbe. Keith Balderaz (So., RHP, Monahans, TX/Monahans HS) recorded his fourth save of the season by stranding Wayland Baptist with runners at the corners.

Four Hounds recorded two RBIs apiece, including Tyler Brown (Sr., C, Aurora, CO/Arapahoe Community College), Crafton, French and Hinojosa. Brown went two for three at the plate, including his first homer of the year and two runs scored. McDuffie was able to record a hit off three Lobo pitchers, as he went 3-5, including adding a double to his homer and scoring three runs. Kelton Hayes (Jr., DH/1B, Guthrie, OK/Northlake Community College) also recorded three hits in five at bats, adding a RBI and a run scored to his stats. Eastern’s other homerun was hit by Justin Gee (Sr., RF/P, Clovis, NM/Clovis HS), a solo shot in the fifth and his second of the year. Roemer, who came in to pitch in the seventh inning, recorded his second win, even though he gave up four runs, two earned, in one inning pitched. Kelly Crain (Sr., RHP, Gordon, TX/Gordon HS) started for Eastern, giving up one earned run in two innings, while recording four strikeouts.

Lobo third baseman Sean Iverson drove in five runs while going 4-6 at the plate. Trey Roberson was 5-6 as the designated hitter, with three RBIs and three runs scored. Winter, who had come in relief of starter Darren Davis in the sixth, recorded the loss and remains winless with a 0-2 record.

ENMU will be at home for a weekend series against East Central University. The first double-header of the two-day series begins on Friday, Feb. 17 at 1 p.m. MST. The series will conclude on Saturday, Feb. 18 with the first of two games scheduled for a 12 p.m. MST start.

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