Game Recap: Baseball | 3/5/2022 10:30:00 PM | Cameron Brennan

Eastern New Mexico baseball scored a season high 15 runs in its win over UT Permian Basin, 15-12, in game one on Saturday afternoon. In game two, the Greyhounds fell in extra innings, 6-4 (8 Inn.) as the Falcons picked up the comeback win. Eastern move to 4-11 overall on the season, and 3-10 in conference. Meanwhile, the Falcons improve to 4-16 on the season, and 3-16 in LSC action.

GAME ONE: ENMU 15, UTPB 12

The Hounds bats started early in the second inning. Trailing 1-0, a lead off single from Nick Schifftner put a Hounds runner on the base paths and Schifftner stole second and advanced the third on a wild pitch. Schifftner came home to score after a wild pitch, tying the game at 1-1. Later with two runners on and two outs, Camden Matthews reached on an error sending both runs to the plate as the Greyhounds took a 3-1 lead. Two batters later, Cooper Hamilton sent home another two runs with an opposite field double, 5-1 ENMU.

The scoring briefly stoped for the Hounds as the Falcons flipped the scoreboard in their favor. One run in the fourth inning, and seven runs in the fifth gave UTPB a 9-5 advantage. However, the Hounds responded with a large run count in the bottom of the inning. With runners in scoring position, Schifftner lifted a triple to deep center field making the score 9-7 UTPB. The next batter, Sammy Williamson grounded out sending Schifftner home setting the game at 9-8. Then, it was Jack Thompson’s turn to triple, driving a ball to deep center and sending Andres Quintana home from second base, 9-9

Eastern’s bats continued in the fifth frame, as C.Matthews singled to score Thompson from third to regain the advantage. Another run crossed after a wild pitch, as Eastern posted six runs in the fifth inning from five hits, 11-9. The Falcons wasted no time and brought the score back tied in the top of the sixth 11-11.

The Hounds put the game away in the bottom half of the inning, using back-to-back singles from Schifftner and Williamson to take a 12-11 lead. With two outs and runners on the corners, C.Matthews split the gap in right-center field with a hard it ball and covered all four bags for an inside the park homerun, 15-11 Greyhounds. UTPB scored one run in the final inning, as the Hounds completed a 15-12 win over the Falcons.

NOTABLE STATS

• Eastern finished the game with 12 hits and 11 RBI’s, along with taking nine stolen bases during the game.
• C.Matthews finished the game 3-5, while Quintana also finished the day with three hits, and Schifftner went 2-3 at the plate. C.Matthews finished with a game high four RBI’s, with Hamilton, Schifftner, and Williamson each picking up two RBI’s.
• C.Matthews finished the game with three stolen bases, Quintana and Schifftner each swiped two bags during the game.
• Javier Luna claimed the win for the Hounds in relief, throwing two innings and allowing three runs from four hits. Damian Acosta started the game and went 4.1 allowing six runs and striking out ten batters. Ruger Bravo tossed 0.2 innings, giving up three runs on the bump.
• Torren Brozovich takes the loss for the Falcons, giving up the lead in the bottom of the sixth allowing three runs from two hits and three walks.

GAME TWO: UTPB 6, ENMU 4 (8 INN.)

Eastern began the game with a quick run on the board. After Dax Edmonds reached on a hit by pitch, Hamilton sent him home with a double in the left center gap. However, the Falcons found a solo homerun in the second inning to tie the contest at 1-1.

The bats had cooled off from game one as each team was being subdued by great pitching. UTPB scored in the top of the 4^th and took that advantage into the sixth inning. The Hounds needed a spark to get the bats going. ENMU was able to load the bases after two walks and a hit from Spencer Roach in the sixth inning. C.Matthews worked a two out walk to send a runner home and tie the game at 2-2. Edmonds stepped into the batter’s box and with an 0-2 count singled into left center plating two runs and giving the Hounds a 4-2 advantage going into the seventh.

However, Eastern couldn’t close the door on the Falcons as a bases loaded walk brought home a run to make the Hounds lead just one, 4-3. With no outs and the bases still loaded, Eastern induced a double play but UTPB tied the game in the process, 4-4 after seven innings.

After a scoreless bottom of the seventh, UTPB strung together two hits and a sacrifice fly to plate two runners and hold a 6-4 lead entering the bottom of the eighth. Although the Hounds got two runners on base, ENMU couldn’t push either run home as the game ended 6-4 UTPB.

NOTABLE STATS

• The Hounds out hit the Falcons 10-6, recording four RBI’s.
• C.Matthews, Quintana, and Roach each recorded two hits, while Edmonds paced the way with two RBI’s.
• Tommy Perez picks up the no decision in 6.0+ innings, allowing four runs from four hits, five walks, and five strikeouts. Hamilton is dealt the loss in 2.0 innings thrown, giving up two hits with a strikeout.
• Trevor Berg threw a complete game for the Falcons, and picked up the win surrendering four runs on 10 hits, with 10 K’s.

FROM THE SOURCE

“We hit today, but timely hitting was key for us in game one. Game two we jusy didn’t execute offensively by moving runners or cashing in when we did have them in scoring position,” said Head Baseball Coach Riley Price. “UTPB had a few timely hits and caught a few big breaks in game two. Our pitchers gave us a chance today and kept us in it all day,” said Price. “Offensively, we just have to execute better throughout an entire game with no base running errors. Overall, I’m proud of the way we are competing and have a great opportunity to win the series tomorrow if we execute better and continue to fill it up on the mound,” said Price.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Nine stolen bases is second in program history for a single game record, and the most since 2014 when Eastern took eight bases against Lubbock Christian (4/8/14).
• C.Matthews is second for stolen bases in a single game with three, just one short of tying the program record.
• In game one, the Hounds set a season’s best for runs scored (15), RBI’s (11), and stolen bases (9).
• C.Matthews recorded his first career homerun, while Thompson picked up his first triple with the Greyhounds. C.Matthews set a single game high for RBI’s (4) and hits (3) in a single game this season.
• The Hounds finish out the series against the Falcons tomorrow, Mar. 6, beginning at 1 pm at Greyhound Baseball Field.