Game Recap: Baseball | 3/18/2022 11:00:00 PM | Cameron Brennan

Eastern New Mexico baseball scored early and often in its walk-off win over University of Arkansas-Fort Smith, 10-0 (8 Inn.) on Friday evening at Greyhound Baseball Field. Eastern improve to 9-11 overall and 8-10 in LSC action. The Lions drop to 7-14, with the same record in LSC play.

The Hounds bats struck in the first inning after Camden Matthews and Cooper Hamilton both reached on a single. Spencer Roach took full advantage and brought both runs home on a double down the left field line, as the Hounds took an early 2-0 lead.

In the second inning with two runners on base, C. Matthews pulled a ball to right field to plate the Hounds third run of the night. Next, Dax Edmonds doubled to left field to score another run, then Hamilton walked to load the bases. Roach did what he does best and found a base hit to center sending another two runs to the plate, 6-4 ENMU.

The scoring didn’t stop as Nick Schifftner doubled to opposite field to take the score to 7-0 in just the second inning. Through the first two innings, Eastern had recorded eight hits and scored seven runs compared to the Lions one hit and zero runs. Another two run flurry came in the third frame for the Greyhounds, with Edmonds and Roach each posting RBI singles, 9-0 ENMU.

Meanwhile, Noah De La Riva was delivering a fantastic game on the mound, holding the Lions to just six hits with six punchouts. The Hounds ended the game in walk off fashion in the 8^th inning. After a reach on error from C. Matthews and a hit from Edmonds, a flyout from Hamilton pushed the runners over one base and a intentional walk of Roach loading the bases for Schifftner. Schifftner took the first pitch he saw into left field to score the game ending run, as the Hounds mercy ruled the Lions 10-0 (8 Inn.).

NOTABLE STATS

• The Greyhounds sprayed 13 hits across the field from six different batters, with five players having multi-hit games. Edmonds and Roach each paced the Hounds with three hits, while Roach had a team high five RBIs.
• C. Matthews scored four times for the Hounds, while Edmonds and Schifftner each came up with two RBI’s.
• De La Riva tossed a complete game shutout for the Hounds, going eight innings with six hits, three walks, and six strikeouts. De La Riva picked up his second win of the season.
• Devon Chapa takes the defeat, throwing just a third of an inning and allowing two runs from three hits. Dylan Parham finished the game with one inning on the mound, while Brayden Ross posted 6.0 innings of work for the Lions.

FROM THE SOURCE

“God blessed us with a beautiful night of baseball and couldn’t have asked for a better win in game one of the series,” said Head Baseball Coach Riley Price. “Noah (De La Riva) gave us another dominate performance and went the distance for us on the mound. Really happy with how we started the game offensively and sprayed the field,” said Price. “Defense really stepped up all game which was great to see. We clicked on all cylinders and need to feed off this momentum going into tomorrow’s doubleheader,” said Price.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• De La Riva picked up wins in his last two appearances and tossed a career high 8.0 innings. The freshman also marked a career high six strikeouts and a first shutout outing.
• C. Matthews set a single game high with four runs scored, while Roach posted a single season best five RBIs.
• Eastern posted the first shutout in the Riley Price era, and the first zero the board since Mar. 2019 against UT Permian Basin.
• The Hounds ended a three-game losing skid to the Lions, but UAFS hold the all-time series, 2-6. Today’s meeting was the first time between the two teams in Portales.
• This is the first time this season Eastern have won by mercy rule. It is also the first time that a team has won by run rule in the all-time series between the two programs.
• ENMU look to keep the momentum going into tomorrow’s doubleheader. The Hounds are set for game one at 2 pm and game two to be played after at 5 pm.