Baseball 2/27/2020 2:38:00 PM Zac Alfers
Baseball Heads to Arkansas-Fort Smith for Four-Game Series this Weekend

Eastern New Mexico baseball continues the grind of Lone Star Conference play as it travels to Arkansas-Fort Smith for a four-game series scheduled to begin Friday at 2 p.m.

SCOUTING THE LIONS

Arkansas-Fort Smith enter the weekend with a 9-5 record and currently sit in the No. 5 spot of the conference rankings following their 3-1 series victory over UT Permian Basin their last time out.

UAFS has struggled limiting the number of home runs it has allowed to its opponents as they have surrendered 12 round trippers this year, the fourth-most in the conference. At the plate, the Lions are slashing .247/ .380/ .332 totaling 107 hits, 82 runs and 75 RBI.

Junior infielder Morgan Crenshaw is the team’s best hitter as he leads the Lions with a .375 batting average and a 1.034 OPS. Junior outfielder Tristan Kalina and sophomore infielder Brooks Sunny are also extremely capable hitters, hitting .320 and .311 at the plate respectively.

The Lions will look to workhorse and innings eater Drew Young on the mound as the junior right hander leads the team in wins (three)and innings pitched (19.1). Freshman right hander Brayden Johnson as yet to record a decision in four appearances this season but has impressed in his outings and paces the squad with 21 strikeouts while only issuing five walks.

HOUNDS ON THE MOUND

Redshirt sophomore Ethan Coombes was able to record his first win of the season, the team’s second, in game two of last week’s series against Tarleton State. Coombes was firing on all cylinders as he recorded season-lows in both hits (four) and walks (three). The Roswell, New Mexico native also showcased his stamina as he pitched the entire seven inning game, striking out eight batters and holding the Lions to a .154 batting average.

Another impressive start came from senior Joel Torres who turned in his best performance of the season. Torres pitched his way to a no-decision after tossing five innings and allowing two hits and a pair of runs. He ran into a little trouble in the top of the fourth and allowed a two-run RBI double before posting a perfect three-up three-down inning with a strike out and a pair of fly outs the following frame. The New York native faced 19 batters and allowed one walk to go along with five strikeouts.

Being able to limit runs allows a team to keep themselves in the ballgame at all times and Coombes and Torres are beginning to form a formidable one-two punch at the top of the rotation for Head Coach Riley Price.

GRAND SLAM

Freshman outfielder Blake Carter has been praised by his coaches and teammates as a player who is constantly striving to improve while bringing an electric personality into the dugout during game days. Prior to last week’s series, Carter appeared in just three games as he continued to battle for playing time. The Shallowater, Texas native was able to force himself into the starting lineup in the last three games against Tarleton and recorded one of the biggest highlights for the team in the early part of the season. With the Hounds trailing 7-4 in the bottom of the seventh inning, Carter stepped into the box with the bases loaded and one out. The Texans pitcher battled to get ahead in the count but Carter was able to persevere and pushed the count to 3-2. The next pitch was a fastball, high and inside, that Carter drove down the left field line and out of the park for a go-ahead grand slam.