Eastern New Mexico Baseball closed out the 2022 season with a walk-off win over Texas A&M-Kingsville, 8-7, on Sunday afternoon at Greyhound Baseball Field. With the win, ENMU earn a split of the series 2-2 after winning game one 11-10 on a walk-off. The Hounds end its season with a 17-31 record and a 16-30 standing in conference play. The Javelinas finish the regular season with a 30-16 overall record and 28-16 in LSC action.

The Javelinas offense quickly got on the board in the first three innings, scoring one run in the first, one run in the second, and two runs in the third inning to take a 4-0 advantage. In the first three innings the Hounds offense found back-to-back doubles from Andres Quintana and Sammy Williamson, but TAMUK prevented the Hounds from scoring a run.

Eastern changed the tide of the game in the sixth inning, as the Hounds started to connect at the plate. Dax Edmonds and Cooper Hamilton started off the inning with a pair of singles and moved into scoring position after a groundout. Edmonds took advantage of a wild pitch to score the Hounds first run, 4-1 TAMUK. Nick Schifftner belted a double into the left center gap to score Hamilton. Schifftner than scored on two wild pitches as Quintana reached first on a walk, 4-3 TAMUK.

Williamson stepped in and poked an RBI double down the right field line, as Quintana scored from first to tie the game at 4-4. After Williamson moved to third on a groundout, Jude Perea punched a double into right field, as Williamson crossed the plate and Eastern took a 5-4 lead. Camden Matthews continued the inning with an infield single, and Edmonds came to the plate for the second time in the inning and singled to score Perea, 6-4 ENMU. The Greyhounds capped off the inning with another run as C. Matthews scored on a pass ball to finish a seven-run inning, 7-4 ENMU. In total, the Hounds recorded seven hits in the inning, with seven runs crossing home plate.

After a blank seventh and eighth inning, the Greyhounds entered the top of the ninth with a 7-4 advantage. However, the Javelinas started the inning with a triple and scored three runs in the frame, and two runs coming with two outs. Despite the Javelinas tying the game, the Eastern bats came to play in the ninth inning. Spencer Roach began the final frame with a double down the left field line and represented the game winning run. Schifftner singled and moved Roach to third with one out in the inning. Williamson stepped in and looped a ball down the right field line to score the winning run, 8-7 Eastern.

NOTABLE STATS

• The Hounds outhit the Javelinas 15-12 in the contest. Eight ENMU hitters recorded a hit, while four different hitters sprayed multiple hits.
• Williamson posted the game winning hit and went 4-5 with two RBIs. Schifftner finished the game with three hits, while Edmonds and Quintana posted two hits. The Hounds hitters accounted for six extra base hits.
• Stephen Rausa collects his first win of the campaign, allowing just three runs (one earned run) in three innings with two strikeouts. Tommy Perez had a solid outing, going six innings and giving up four runs and posting eight strikeouts.
• The Javelinas had five different pitcher take the hill, with Colton Taylor taking the loss in 0.1 innings and allowing the game winning run.

FROM THE SOURCE

“What a special win for our seniors to be part of and we couldn’t have done it without them today,” said Head Baseball Coach Riley Price. “So proud of Stephen (Rausa) and Andres (Quintana) for how they played today and the hard work they’ve put in as Greyhounds. Really proud of how this team fought back today and finished strong because it took everyone to get that win,” said Price. “Tommy (Perez) finally settled in throwing very well and Rausa came in to compete his tail off for the victory. We split with a very good team and competed hard all weekend,” said Price. “Overall, really excited for what the future holds for our returners after a great bounce-back year for us. This group has set a great foundation for future success and has left this program in a better place moving forward,” said Price. “I’d like to sincerely thank the families of our players and everyone who supported us this year on and off the field. Go Hounds!”.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• After today’s win, Eastern set a program record for the most conference wins in program history with 16, beating out the pervious mark of 15 in in 2014.
• 17 wins is the winningest season in the Price Era for ENMU, and the most wins since 2018.
• With a split against the Javelinas, it is the first time the Hounds split with Texas A&M-Kingsville since 2014, when the Hounds won a set of games, 3-2 and 4-3.
• Perez marked the game with a career high eight strikeouts and tied a best mark of 6.0 innings pitched. Rausa collected his first career win and set a season high for innings pitched (3.0 IP) and strikeouts (2).
• Williamson set a career best four hits, two doubles, two RBIs, and six assists in the field.
• The Hounds have now won three games in walk-off fashion this season, all occurring at Greyhound Baseball Field.
• Eastern’s season ends on the walk-off winner at 17-31, and 16-30 in LSC play. The program acknowledged its two seniors prior to the start of the game, Rausa and Quintana.