LAWTON, Okla. – The Eastern New Mexico University baseball team overcame a two-run deficit in the seventh inning to earn a split against Cameron on Monday afternoon. ENMU dropped the first game 3-0, but rallied for eight runs in the final three innings of the nightcap to win 10-5. The Greyhounds move to 24-10 overall following the split.
In the first game, Chris Padilla and Garlind Webster recorded the hits for ENMU. Austin Paisar was saddled with the loss, giving up three runs (two earned), on five hits with three walks and a strikeout. Reliever Blake Frye tossed 2.1 perfect innings of relief to keep the Aggies off the scoreboard, but the sticks never got going in the opener.
Cameron took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first in game one before the rains came. A leadoff error allowed Micah Kaaukai to reach base before moving up to second on a sacrifice bunt. Cody Knight lifted a two-out double to left to score Kaaukai to give the Aggies a 1-0 lead.
After the game resumed, Cameron extended the lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the third. Kaaukai doubled to left with one out and came around to score on a double by Cody Bower. The Aggies would go on to stretch the lead to 3-0 with a run in the fourth.
In game two’s action, the Aggies jumped out to a 2-0 lead with a run in the second and third inning before the Greyhounds answered with the equalizer in the fourth. Alex DeLaCruz picked up a one-out, infield single. Following a Jesus Villalobos walk and a pair of Cameron defensive miscues, Webster picked up a two-run single back through the box to plate both runners.
After giving up the lead again in the fifth, ENMU utilized a number of miscues by the Aggies in the top of the seventh to regain the lead. As a pinch hitter, Zach Smithson led off the frame and beat out a throw to first on a strikeout with a wild pitch to put the leadoff man aboard. Gabriel Vargas laid down a sacrifice bunt that the Aggies’ second baseman was unable to handle to put two aboard. Chris Padilla followed with a fielder’s choice and an error to push the first run across. Vargas came home to score on a wild pitch before DeLaCruz worked a walk to put runners on the corners. Endy Villalona lifted a fly ball to center, allowing Padilla to tag and trot home to give ENMU the lead. Webster blasted his second home run of the year on an 0-1 offering to stretch Eastern’s lead to 7-4.
ENMU would tack on three more runs in the eighth to put the game out of reach. Vargas and DeLaCruz each drove home an insurance run in the inning.
Webster and DeLaCruz led the Greyhounds at the dish in the nightcap. The ENMU third baseman went 2-for-4 with four RBI and a home run while the Freeport, NY, native went 2-for-3 with three runs, two walks, two stolen bases and an RBI. Reliever Dwight Velarde earned the win, scattering three hits and four walks for a run over the final 3.2 innings.
The Greyhounds are back in action this weekend at the friendly confines of Greyhound Field against Tarleton State. First pitch with the Texans is tabbed for 7 p.m. on Friday. For all the latest news on ENMU athletics, follow @ENMUBaseball and @ENMUAthletics on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
-Eastern New Mexico University-
Baseball
Will Edwards
