Hounds split, end losing streak

CNJ staff photo: Liliana Castillo ENMU junior infielder Mitch Wolfe comes off the bag to take the throw and tag out Southwestern Oklahoma’s James Cloud during the opener of Saturday’s Lone Star Conference baseball doubleheader at Greyhound Field.

PORTALES — Two streaks ended in the first game of Saturday’s Lone Star Conference baseball doubleheader at Greyhound Field.

Eastern New Mexico University put an end to its nine-game slide and posted its first conference win with a 4-2 victory over Southwestern Oklahoma behind senior right-hander Anthony Smith’s complete-game three-hitter. It also snapped the Bulldogs’ 12-game winning streak.

Southwestern (14-5, 10-5 LSC) got back on track in the nightcap, however, routing the Greyhounds 14-2 behind a nine-run fourth inning to capture the three-game series.

Smith (1-3) walked one and struck out seven in the seven-inning opener, needing just 94 pitches. The only damage against him came on catcher Tyler Wells’ third home run of the season, a two-run shot in the top of the fifth.

ENMU (2-11, 1-8) took advantage of wildness by Southwestern starter Ty Overton (1-2) and Henry Contin to score three runs without benefit of a hit in the bottom of the fourth.

Leading 1-0, the Hounds loaded the bases with no one out on a walk and two hit batsmen against Overton. Contin relieved and got Luis Quinones on an infield pop-up, but he then hit Blake Thomsen with a pitch to force in a run.

Contin followed with a run-scoring wild pitch before ENMU catcher Joe Huwer delivered the third tally of the inning with a sacrifice fly to left.

In the third, ENMU third baseman Joe Jones beat out a bunt. Quinones forced Jones trying to sacrifice, but Thomsen and Mitch Wolfe followed with singles to bring him around.

In the nightcap, shortened from nine innings to seven by the 10-run rule, Southwestern’s Jeremy Soliday went 3-for-4 with five RBIs and shortstop Christian Wise went 4-for-5 with three doubles, four runs scored and two RBIs .

ENMU’s Corey Cole (0-3) retired the first five Southwestern hitters before the Bulldogs loaded the bases with two out in the second. No. 9 hitter Kyle Meadows followed with a two-run single to right.

In the fourth, the Bulldogs chased Cole with eight hits, highlighted by a two-run single by Wells and an RBI single and a two-run double by Soliday. They made it 14-0 with three in the sixth, including a two-run single by Soliday.

Bulldogs starter Austin Woodard (1-2) pitched into the sixth, allowing five hits and surviving six walks. Chris Rogers relieved Woodard with two outs and the bases loaded and got Quinones on a fielder’s choice grounder.

Kevin Thompson and Alex Schultz had run-scoring singles in the sixth and seventh, respectively, for ENMU.