PORTALES, N.M. – The Eastern New Mexico University baseball team broke up West Texas A&M’s no-hit bid in the bottom of the seventh, but the comeback effort fell just shy in the 2-1 setback to the nation’s third-ranked team. The Greyhounds move to 21-6 overall and 0-1 in Lone Star Conference action after tonight’s league opener.
Second baseman Alex DeLaCruz extended his hitting streak to 12 games with his base-knock in the bottom of the eighth. Pitchers Scott Klein and Alec Lemmon turned in stellar performances on the rubber. Despite taking the loss, Klein (4-2) turned in a quality start, going 6.0 innings while scattering three hits and four walks for a pair of runs. The right-hander struck out 11, besting the team-high he set earlier in the season. Lemmon worked out of several jams with runners in scoring position over his three innings of work. The southpaw allowed two hits and a walk and struck out six while keeping the Buffs from adding any insurance runs.
West Texas struck for both of its runs in the top of the second off Klein. John Baiada worked a one-out walk before going first to third on a single up the middle by Chad Brown. After an unsuccessful safety squeeze from Bodie Bryan, Aaron Valance poked a single just over the outstretched glove of Jared Gay at first base to plate both runners.
Klein was lifted for Michael Holliday on the bump before a pair of walks and a throwing error left runners on the corners with no outs for Lemmon. The southpaw picked up back-to-back strikeouts before a lazy fly ball to center ended the threat.
In the bottom of the frame, Eastern finally found the hit column to cap a two-out rally by the Hounds. Blake Frye reached the hard way on a hit-by-pitch, advanced to second on a passed ball and stole third. Gabriel Vargas worked a six pitch walk to put the tying run on base. Chris Padilla drove home the lone run for the Green and Silver with a two-strike single into right to pull ENMU within one.
Lemmon would surrender a one-out double to Troy LaBrie to the right-center alley. The Buffs first baseman ended up being gunned down at third, trying to stretch the play into a triple, but a beautiful relay throw from DeLaCruz cut the runner down at third. In the bottom of the inning, DeLaCruz extended his team-leading hitting streak with a single up the middle. After getting sacrificed to second and advancing to third on a fly ball, Nicholas Ankerman struck out to end the scoring threat.
After Lemmon worked out of another jam with runners on the corners, Gabriel Vargas singled into center to again put the tying run on base with one out. Padilla hit a hard ground ball to shortstop, allowing WT to turn a double play to end the game.
WT starter Marshall Kasowski earned the win to improve to 5-2 on the year. The right hander allowed two hits and a run while striking out 17. Reliever Justin McAllister earned the save, allowing just one hit over the final 1.2 innings.
The Greyhounds return to the diamond on Saturday, March 25 for a twinbill with West Texas A&M. First pitch against the Buffs is slated for 1 p.m. For all the latest news on ENMU athletics, follow @ENMUBaseball and @ENMUAthletics on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
