Bulldogs Edge Greyhounds for Pair of One-Run Victories

Box Score - Game 3 - SWOSU 2, ENMU 1
Box Score - Game 4 - SWOSU 6, ENMU 5

WEATHERFORD, OKLA. — Dustin Anderson threw a complete-game shutout in the opener and Garron Davenport went 2 for 4 with a triple in the second game, as Southwestern Oklahoma State University swept a double-header from Eastern New Mexico University, 2-1 and 6-5, on Saturday, Mar. 11 at SWOSU Park. The pair of wins improved the Bulldogs to 12-8 on the season, as SWOSU swept the four-game Lone Star Conference crossover series. ENMU fell to 16-8, with the Greyhounds losing a series for the first time this season.

Anderson tossed all seven inning and allowed just five hits in the first game. He struck out five ENMU batters, while allowing just one walk. Two of Eastern’s hits came in the first inning, when Gilbert Alvarado (Sr., LF, Roswell, NM/University of New Mexico) singled and later scored. Ryan French (Sr., CF, Carlsbad, NM/Trinidad State JC) walked to move Alvarado to second. One out later, Justin Gee (Sr., RF, Clovis, NM/Clovis HS) added another single and Mike McDuffie (Jr., 2B, Albuquerque, NM/Sandia HS) provided a sacrifice fly to bring Alvarado home. It was Eastern’s only run of the game.

SWOSU answered with two runs in the third inning to complete the scoring. Mark Cole supplied a leadoff single, then advanced to third on a single by Ryan Pease. Cole scored on a double steal, and Pease crossed the plate on a two-out single by Davenport. SWOSU registered four of its six hits in the one inning.

Anderson improved to 2-3 on the season, while ENMU starter Evan Courteau (Jr., RHP, Minneapolis, MN/Rochester Community and Technical College) fell to 3-2. Courteau threw five innings and allowed all six hits. He recorded two strikeouts and did no allow a walk. Charlie Ward (So., RHP, Roswell, NM/Trinidad State JC) walked two SWOSU batters in the sixth inning, but did not allow a run.

Davenport was 2 for 3 for the Bulldogs, while Alvarado went 2 for 3 for ENMU. No other players for either team earned more than one hit during the game.

ENMU took another 1-0 lead in the first inning of the second game. This time Alvarado walked to start the game and French followed with a single. An error on the play allowed French to reach second, while Alvarado went to third and attempted to score. He was thrown out at the plate. With two outs, a single by Gee allowed French to score.

SW Oklahoma pulled in front with four runs in the first inning and one run in the second. In the first stanza, Davenport tripled and scored on an error. Landon Thompson walked, then stole second and third, before being thrown out attempting to steal home. Later in the inning, Tanner Dewald drove in one run with a single and Pease brought home two runs with a double.

In the second inning, Lance Scales hit a leadoff double. He stole third base and scored on a wild pitch. The lead remained 5-1 for the Bulldogs until ENMU scored three times in the fourth inning.

SWOSU committed three errors in the fourth stanza. ENMU also connected for two hits during the inning, as the Greyhounds pulled within 5-4. Matt Hinojosa (Sr., SS, Baytown, TX/ Laredo CC) drove in Tim Crafton (Jr., OF, Farmington, NM/N.M. Military Institute) with a sacrifice fly fielded by the shortstop, while McDuffie recorded two RBIs with a single.

The Bulldogs added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth, when Lincoln Hatfield doubled before scoring on a two-out single by Davenport. Eastern scored once in the top of the seventh, as Gee reached on a third-strike wild pitch and scored with two outs on a double by Kelton Hayes (Jr., DH, Guthrie, OK/Northlake CC). Stephen Lopez-Barela (Fr., SS/OF, Alamogordo, NM/Alamogordo HS) pinch ran for Hayes, but Casey Bigham (Fr., 1B, New Deal, TX/New Deal HS) flew out to center field for the final out of the game.

Trey Dewald recorded the win to go to 3-1 on the season. In four innings, he allowed all five runs, gave up four walks and earned one strikeout. Seth Clabaugh (Fr., LHP, Portales, NM/ Angelo State University) started for ENMU, but gave up five runs, four hits and six walks, while dropping to 0-1 on the season. Clabaugh registered three strikeouts.

SWOSU won despite five errors to just one error for Eastern. The Bulldogs outhit the Hounds, 7-6, with Davenport’s triple and doubles by Scales, Pease and Hatfield. Hayes’ double was Eastern’s only extra-base hit. McDuffie was 2 for 4 with two RBIs for ENMU. In addition to benefiting from Davenport’s 2-for-4 performance, the Bulldogs also received two hits in three at bats from Tanner Dewald.

Eastern will return to action on Friday, Mar. 17 and Saturday, Mar. 18 with a four-game series against LSC crossover opponent Cameron University. The first double-header is scheduled for 2 p.m. MST on Friday, with Saturday’s double-header set to get underway at 12 p.m. MST.