Greyhounds Rout Angelo State 15-1 in First Game of LSC South Double-Header
Rams Win Second Game 9-7 in Extra Inning

Box Score - Game 1 - ENMU 15, ASU 1
Box Score - Game 2 - ASU 9, ENMU 7 (8 innings)

PORTALES, N.M. — Senior pitcher Kelly Crain (RHP, Gordon, TX/Gordon HS) allowed just one run on five hits through the first seven innings, and the Eastern New Mexico University offense accumulated 16 hits, as ENMU routed Angelo State University, 15-1, in the first game of a Lone Star Conference double-header at Greyhound Field on Friday, Mar. 31. ENMU rallied from a 7-4 deficit in the second game, scheduled for seven innings, but Angelo State scored twice in the eighth for a 9-7 win.

The double-header opened LSC South action for both teams. ENMU moved to 19-16 on the season, including 1-1 in the LSC South. Angelo State ended the double-header with a 21-11 overall record, 1-1 in the LSC South.

Crain, now 4-4 this season, kept ASU off the scoreboard until the sixth inning, when left fielder Ronnie Gaines singled, moved to second on a ground out and scored on a single by Bucky Strickland. Crain escaped the inning with a double-play.

By the time ASU scored, Eastern had already plated six runs. The Greyhounds scored three times in the third inning, added two runs in the fourth and secured another run in the fifth.

Derrick Kennedy (So., 3B, San Antonio, TX/G.W. Brackenridge HS) tripled with one out in the third. He crossed the plate when senior shortstop Matt Hinojosa (Baytown, TX/Laredo CC) singled to right field. Hinojosa stole second, moved to third on a single by Tim Crafton (Jr., OF, Farmington, NM/N.M. Military Institute) and scored on an error by second baseman Josh Beal. Crafton reached home on a sacrifice fly by Mike McDuffie (Jr., 2B, Albuquerque, NM/Sandia HS).

The ENMU lead reached 4-0 when Brian Green (Sr., C, Fountain Hills, AZ/Central Arizona College) singled and eventually scored in the fourth inning. Kennedy drove in Jeff Roemer (Jr., 1B/P, Woodbury, MN/Rochester Community and Technical College) with a single later in the fourth, and Ryan French (Sr., CF, Carlsbad, NM/Trinidad State JC) brought home another run with a bases-loaded walk in the fifth.

In the seventh inning, Crain gave up two walks with one out. Even so, Eastern maintained its 6-1 lead when Crain picked off Shan Sullivan at first and catcher Brian Green (Sr., Fountain Hills, AZ/Central Arizona College) threw out Brad Hough, who tried to steal second base.

Eastern pulled away for the lopsided win with two runs in the seventh and seven runs in the eighth. McDuffie and pinch-runner Stephen Lopez-Barela (Fr., SS, Alamogordo, NM/Alamogordo HS) scored on an error in the seventh. In the eighth, Hinojosa hit an RBI double, Lopez-Barela added a two-RBI single and Roemer drove in three runs with a bases-loaded triple. Roemer completed the scoring when he reached home on a wild pitch.

Roemer was 3 for 5 in the first game, while Hinojosa went 3 for 6. Kennedy, Crafton, Green and McDuffie each recorded two hits. For ASU, Derek Bockhorn went 2 for 2 with a walk, but the Rams had just six hits during the game. Chace Vacek, who threw the first four innings, fell to 4-3 with the loss.

Angelo State outhit ENMU, 15-5, in the second game, but the Greyhounds nearly stole the win. ASU led 2-0 after two innings and ENMU held a 4-2 lead after four stanzas. The Rams moved back in front, 5-4, by scoring three times in the fifth. The lead increased to 7-4 with a pair of Angelo State runs in the sixth, but Eastern scored three runs in its final regulation at bat.

The Hounds recorded just one hit in the seventh, but took advantage of one error, two hit batsmen, a passed ball and a wild pitch. After Hinojosa reach base on the error, Kennedy followed with a single to right field. Hinojosa later scored on a passed ball. Gee walked to put runners at first and second, and Kelton Hayes (Jr., DH/1B, Guthrie, OK/North Lake College) was hit by a pitch.

Kennedy scored the second run moments later, when Green was hit by a pitch. Gee then scored the tying run on a wild pitch. Strickland, the ASU catcher, retrieved the ball, but his throw eluded pitcher Tommy Raferty. Nate Hemm grabbed the ball near the ASU dugout and threw it to Raferty, who tagged out pinch-runner Lopez-Barela on a close play at the plate.

In the eighth, Hough singled and Beal walked to start the stanza. Hough reached third on a sacrifice fly by Gaines, and Beal was thrown out stealing second. With two outs, Hemm drove in Hough on a single to right, then scored on a double by pinch-hitter Joey Kolar.

ENMU sent four batters to the plate in the bottom of the inning, but could not rally against the Rams. Hemm finished the contest 3 for 5 with two runs and three RBIs. Raferty (4-1) was the winning pitcher for ASU. Reliever Casey Bigham (0-1) suffered the loss for the Hounds.

Eastern and Angelo State will conclude the series with another double-header on Saturday, Apr. 1, starting at 4 p.m. MST. The Hounds will remain at home for another six games, including a nine-inning contest against New Mexico Highlands University on Tuesday, Apr. 4 at 6 p.m. MDT.