The Eastern New Mexico University baseball team built an early lead and rallied in the eighth to spurn Tarleton State’s comeback bid, 9-8. With the win, the Greyhounds climb to 27-11 overall and 5-5 in Lone Star Conference play.
After relinquishing a 6-1 lead, Chris Padilla blasted a two-run double off the wall to regain the lead for good for the Hounds. The centerfielder finished 2-for-4 with a run and three RBI while Alex DeLaCruz, Endy Villalona, Jesus Villalobos, Mike McNicholl and Levi Shandrew all turned in multi-hit games. Reliever Dwight Velarde earned the win by keeping the Texans off the scoreboard over the final 1.2 innings, scattering a hit and two walks while striking out two.
After racing out to a 6-1 lead over the first four innings, the Texans rattled off seven runs before the Greyhounds would respond. Trailing 8-6, DeLaCruz opened the bottom of the eighth with a single to start the rally for the Green and Silver. Villalona and Villalobos followed with a single and fielder’s choice, respectively, to put runners on the corners. Garlind Webster laid down a perfect safety-squeeze bunt to plate DeLaCruz and move the tying run to second. Following an intentional walk to McNicholl, Padilla belted a double off the left field wall to score both runners easily and claim the lead.
In the top of the ninth, Velarde ran into some trouble early. The right-hander issued a leadoff walk to Garrett Kizer, but catcher Gabe Trujillo erased the free pass by gunning down Kizer trying to steal second. Trujillo was inserted as a defensive replacement in the top of the seventh and was making his first appearance in the Green and Silver when throwing out Kizer. Velarde allowed a one-out double, but induced an infield popup and struck out Austin Call to strand the would-be tying run at second.
The Greyhounds return to the diamond on Friday against Texas A&M-Kingsville on the road. First pitch with the Javelinas is tabbed for 6 p.m. For all the latest news on ENMU athletics, follow @ENMUBaseball and @ENMUAthletics on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
-Eastern New Mexico University-
Baseball
Will Edwards
