Game Recap: Baseball | 2/22/2020 8:50:00 PM
Eastern New Mexico baseball was able to edge out a 2-1 victory in a tightly contested game one before dropping the second leg of the double-header 13-2 against Tarleton State Saturday afternoon.
In a pitching battle between two quality starters, the Hounds were able to grind out a win to kick start the day in a game where runs where hard to come by. Sophomore right hander Ethan Coombes earned his first victory of the season and had his lights out stuff working for him on the mound.
Coombes tossed a complete seven inning game, allowing just one run on four hits while walking three and striking out eight batters. Senior Hunter Thomas got the start for the Texans and the loss on the day after the Hounds were able to tag him for four hits and two runs in five innings of action.
Eastern broke up the tie ball game in the bottom half of the second as catcher Ryan Anderson led off the inning with a walk. Left fielder Jude Perea moved the runner over with a perfectly placed sacrifice bunt before Anderson was able to cross the plate following a throwing error from the Texans shortstop.
With both pitchers locked in on the hill, the offenses struggled as neither team plated any runs in the middle innings. The Hounds were able to score the eventual game winning run in the bottom of the sixth.
Second baseman Trevor Moses got thing started for the Green and Silver with a single to right field. With runners on the corners and no outs Perea stepped into the box and this time was asked to lay down the suicide squeeze. Perea laid down a bunt that dribbled to the pitcher but with Moses bolting down the base path he forced and errant throw and was able to safely cross the plate.
The Texans were able to make things interesting in the top of the seventh as they were able to draw a walk and tally a single to lead off the inning. Coombes maintained his composure and was able to record the first out of the frame with an unassisted groundout to first base that ended up scoring the runner from third. Coombes patiently worked himself out of the jam, striking out a batter and relying on his defense to secure a fly out to close out the game.
In game two of the double header it was the Texans who struck first with a run in the first before pushing their lead to 7-0 at the end of the second inning. The Hounds answered with a run following a wild pitch in the fourth before TSU regained control with four runs in the top of the fifth.
Trailing 13-1 in the bottom of the seventh and two outs already in the inning, the Hounds refused to surrender as they patiently filled the bases with three walks. After quickly falling behind in the count 0-2, pinch hitter Camden Matthews battled back, fouling off some decent pitches before recording his first collegiate RBI with a bases loaded walk.
The Hounds will look to split the series tomorrow afternoon as they take the field in the series finale scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.
