3/5/2021 | Baseball | Box Score

ODESSA, TEXAS – The Eastern New Mexico baseball team traveled to the University of Texas Permian Basin Friday afternoon for the first contest in a four-game weekend series. The Greyhounds defeated the Falcons, 8-6, to improve to 2-7 overall on the season.

The Hounds started out the game strong, scoring a run in each of the first three innings to take a slight 3-2 lead heading into the fourth.

In the top of the fifth Jude Perea got things started with a double down the left field line before heading to third on a sacrifice bunt from Camden Matthews. Daniel Hunt sent Perea home on a single and then rounded home himself after a double from Nicholas Tamez.

Andres Quintana kept things going with a single through the left side to score Tamez. Nick Schifftnermade it on base after being hit by a pitch. Both Matthew Kory and Rio Granger hit two-out singles to help stretch the Eastern lead to 7-2.

The Falcons responded in the next two innings to cut the Hound lead to 7-6, with a two-run homer from Nick Hernandez and a solo home run from Devin Ferrari in the fifth and a run off an RBI-single from Collin Fabio in the sixth.

Kory stretched the lead back out to 8-6 in the top of the eighth with a double to left center before stealing third and then making it home on a wild pitch.

The Hounds shut down the UTPB offense throughout the remainder of the game to secure the 8-6 victory.

Eastern was led offensively by Kory who finished 2-for-3 at the plate with a double and one run scored. Granger and Tamez paced the team in RBI with two each. Overall, the Hounds saw eight student-athletes combine for 10 hits throughout the game.

Josh Lewis got the start on the mound and recorded five strikeouts while allowing six hits and four walks in 4.2 innings. Cooper Hamilton finished out the game to earn the win. He ended with eight strikeouts and allowed just two hits and one run in 4.1 innings of work.

Eastern New Mexico faces UTPB again on Saturday at 12 p.m. for the second contest of the four-game weekend series.