PORTALES, N.M. – The Eastern New Mexico baseball team got off to a strong start against Texas A&M-Kingsville, but couldn’t hold off a late Javelinas rally as the Hounds fell 8-7 Sunday afternoon at Greyhound Field.
The Greyhounds (9-11) were able to strike first in the St. Patrick’s Day Green Out Game. After starting pitcher Braden Delamare faced the minimum the first time through the order, the Eastern bats were able to find a rhythm in the third inning.
Third baseman Joel Paulino drew a walk and centerfielder Malcolm Smith singled through the left side and both runners advanced on a wild pitch to set up a prime scoring opportunity. A few pitches later, senior shortstop Nicholas Ankerman delivered, pushing a two RBI single up the middle to put ENMU in-front 2-0.
The Javelinas (15-8) managed to get a run back in the top of the sixth and threatened to get a second, but Eastern second baseman Paul Tapia was able to nab TAMU’s Giancarlo Servin at home plate trying to score from second on an infield single to end the inning.
In the bottom half of the sixth, the ENMU bats came alive once again. Right fielder Blake Frye led off the inning with a single to center and advanced to second after catcher Eurick Perez was hit by a pitch. On the ensuing at-bat, the Hounds took advantage of a Javelinas throwing error off a Hidalgo sacrifice bunt, as Frye came around to score on the miscue to make it a 3-1 game.
Three batters later, Paulino was able to knock in one more after reaching on an infield single to the shortstop, scoring Perez from third to extend the Eastern edge to 4-1. Malcolm Smith followed suit with an infield single to the second baseman and advanced to second on a throwing error while Hidalgo crossed the plate to push the Hounds lead to four. Ankerman reached after being hit by a pitch to load the bases for Tapia and he drove a two RBI single to left to expand the Greyhounds advantage to 7-1.
The Hounds were cruising until they ran into trouble in the top of the eighth. The Javelinas were able to get runners to second and third with two outs, but ended up putting up a five spot in the inning on a three-run homer to go with a bases loaded walk and a wild pitch to close the gap to 7-6.
In the top of the ninth, Kingsville managed to pull ahead, taking advantage of a leadoff error and a walk. As the Javelinas pulled off a double steal to move both runners into scoring position, Kingsville was able to plate the game-tying run on a throwing error, moving the go-ahead run to third with nobody out. After ENMU reliever Enrique Perez was able to get a strikeout, the Javelinas pulled in-front on a Cameron Melcher sacrifice fly to left.
The Greyhounds were able to put together a threat in the bottom of the ninth when Tapia drew a leadoff walk and Frye reached on an error by the first baseman. The two advanced on a double steal, setting up runners at second and third with nobody out.
Unfortunately, the Hounds couldn’t push across the game-tying run as the Javelinas were able to record three straight outs to pull out the win.
Texas A&M-Kingsville recorded their eight runs on 12 hits with four errors while the Greyhounds scored their seven runs on 10 hits and committed three errors.
Three Hounds finished with multiple hits in the contest, as Paulino and Smith each finished 2-for-3 from the plate with an RBI and two runs scored. Tapia drove in two, slashing 2-for-4 while Ankerman also finished with a pair of RBIs after going 1-for-3 from the plate.
Delamare pitched one of his best outings of the season, giving up just three earned runs on eight hits, a walk and struck out three in 7.1 innings of work in the no-decision.
The Greyhounds will return to the road next week for one more non-conference series at Dallas Christian on March 23-24 before opening Lone Star Conference play at UT-Permian Basin on March 29-31. Eastern will open its series against Dallas Christian with a doubleheader slated for a 10 a.m.start.
