Hayes' bat lifts ENMU past Texans

PORTALES — Senior second baseman Tyler Hayes has already had a good series, and it’s just getting started.

The Eastern New Mexico University went 6-for-6, tying a school record, and drove in eight runs to break the school mark as the Greyhounds routed Tarleton State 20-5 on Friday at Greyhound Field in the opener of a four-game Lone Star Conference series.

Hayes hit three-run homers in the fifth and sixth innings. He also had a single in the first, a double in the third and run-scoring singles in the fourth — on a squeeze bunt — and seventh.

In addition, he had his 11th stolen base of the season, and made five putouts and six assists at second base.

ENMU (11-6, 5-4 LSC) also scored 20 runs in consecutive games for the first time since coach Phil Clabaugh restarted the program in 1992. The Greyhounds were coming off a 20-7 win at Cameron on Sunday.

The Hounds collected 21 hits against five Texans pitchers. Somewhat lost in the shuffle were a 5-for-6 performance by catcher Freddy Carmona and a 3-for-6 outing with four RBIs by third baseman Derrick Kennedy.

Sophomore left-hander Seth Clabaugh (2-2) benefited from the output, allowing two runs and five hits with seven strikeouts in six innings.

Leading 3-1, ENMU broke the game open with a five-run fifth that included consecutive RBI singles by Clayton Young, Hayes and Kennedy. Hayes’ first three-run homer, his third of the season, made it 11-1 in the fifth.

Hayes went deep again in a four-run sixth which made it 15-2. The Hounds added five more runs in the seventh, highlighted by a three-run double from first baseman Mitch Wolfe.

Hayes’ RBI total beat the previous school record, done five times, by one. His six-hit outing ties the school mark set last year by Kennedy against West Texas A&M.

On defense, the Hounds played an errorless game against the Texans (9-12, 4-9) and turned a pair of double plays after turning six in last weekend’s four -game series at Cameron.

The teams are scheduled for a 1 p.m. doubleheader today at Greyhound Field, and will finish off the series with a 1 p.m. single game on Sunday.