Hounds split with Southeastern for second day in row

DURANT, Okla. — Junior right-hander Evan Courteau bounced back from a rocky outing in his previous start to throw a complete-game six-hitter as Eastern New Mexico University beat Southeastern Oklahoma 3-1 on Saturday in the first game of a Lone Star Conference crossover baseball doubleheader.

The Savage Storm won the second game 2-1 to earn a split of the twin bill and the four-game series.

Derrick Kennedy and Mike McDuffie hit consecutive RBI singles in the third inning to give ENMU (10-6) a 2-1 lead in the opener. The Greyhounds added an insurance run in the fifth when Seth Clabaugh walked, took second on Kennedy’s sacrifice bunt and scored on a throwing error on the play.

Courteau (3-1) walked three and struck out three in pitching his first complete game of the season. In his previous start, on Feb. 15, he was knocked out in the second inning of a 26-3 loss to Northeastern State at Greyhound Field.

Jordan Semore took the loss for Southeastern despite a complete game. He allowed eight hits — two each by Tim Crafton, Kennedy and McDuffie — with two walks and two strikeouts.

In the second game, Southeastern (5-5) plated the winning run off ENMU junior Jeff Roemer (1-2) in the bottom of the seventh on a two-out, two-base error by the Hounds and an RBI double by David Newell.

Southeastern’s only other run came in the fourth when Robbie Morris hit a leadoff double, stole third and scored on Mason Parham’s two-out infield single.

ENMU scored in the second off Clay Glover (2-1) when Gerald Juarez drew a two-out walk and scored all the way from first on a single by Tyler Hayes and an outfield error.

Roemer allowed just four hits, walked none and struck out three while Glover finished with a two-hitter, four walks and eight strikeouts. ENMU’s only other hit was a double by Tim Crafton with one out in the third.