Game Recap: Baseball | | Cameron Brennan
Oklahoma Christian picked up a shutout win over Eastern New Mexico baseball, 2-0, on Sunday afternoon at Dobson Field. The Eagles take the weekend series 3-1 against the Hounds. The Greyhounds move to 11-17 overall and 10-16 in LSC play. OC boost their record to 11-21 on the season, with the same record in conference action.
The Hounds put base runners on in the first inning looking to score the games first run. However, with runners on first and second, the Eagles turned a 5-4-3 double play to escape the inning unharmed. The first runs wouldn’t come until the third inning for the home team. With a runner on first, the Eagles played long ball to take a 2-0 advantage over the Hounds in the game.
Both teams pitching and defense kept a steady flow to the game, with neither team able to cause any havoc on the base paths over the next four innings, still 2-0 OC after seven full innings.
Eastern looked to threaten in the top of the eighth frame after two base runners reached with two outs. A walk from Braeton Matthews and a reach on error from Camden Matthews put the tying run on the base path. Both runners attempted to steal, moving into scoring position, but C. Matthews was cut down at second base to end the inning.
The Hounds had one last chance in the ninth inning, which started off with a Cooper Hamilton single to left. However, a 1-6-3 double play cut away the danger. Oklahoma Christian took the final game of the series by a score of 2-0.
NOTABLE STATS
- ENMU produced four hits on the day, coming from Dax Edmonds (2), Hamilton (1), and Sammy Williamson (1).
- Dalton Thatcher gets the loss allowing two runs over seven innings of work. Thatcher ended the day with one earned run, five hits, and three walks allowed, with five strikeouts. Tommy Perez tossed one inning, retiring every batter he faced with one strikeout.
- Isaish Alvarenga threw a complete game shutout to earn the win for the Eagles. In the game, Alvarenga finished with four hits conceded and 11 strikeouts.
FROM THE SOURCE
“An error leading to a 2-run homer was all it took to beat us today unfortunately,” said Head Baseball Coach Riley Price. “(Dalton) Thatcher threw a great game and (Tommy) Perez came in late keeping the score to two. Our bats were dead today with a lack of an approach at the plate,” said Price. “We did not compete offensively like I know we can. We need to work on recognizing off speed and being on time with the fastball this week,” said Price. “We cannot play our game if we continue to guess and not trust our bat speed”.
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE
- Thatcher tied a career high with seven innings pitched during the game.
- Oklahoma Christian hold the all-time series 8-3 over Eastern.
- The Hounds return for Greyhound Baseball Field on Friday, Apr. 1, for a four-game series with St. Mary’s University. The first game will have a first pitch at 6 pm.