Bronchos rally for win over ENMU

PORTALES — Eastern New Mexico University’s bats put a serious hurt on standout Central Oklahoma pitcher Clint Straka Friday night.

It wasn’t enough to prevent him from getting a victory.

The Greyhounds jumped on Straka (9-0) for a 4-0 lead through two innings, but the Bronchos scored six times in the third and held on for a 10-7 Lone Star Conference win at Greyhound Field.

Straka entered the game with a 1.86 earned run average and had allowed just 20 runs (14 earned) in 67 2/3 innings. He lasted 5 2/3 in this one, giving up 11 hits and seven earned runs.

Jonathon Marbury beat out an infield hit and scored on Derrick Kennedy’s two-out double to left in the ENMU first, and the Hounds (21-23, 14-19 LSC) added three in the second on a two-run single by Clayton Young and an RBI double by Marbury.

The Bronchos (30-18, 21-15) sent 12 men to the plate in the third inning in taking a 6-4 lead. Breck Draper’s 17th home run of the season, a two-run shot, made it 8-4 in the sixth.

The Hounds then chased Straka and pulled to 8-7 in the bottom half when senior second baseman Tyler Hayes delivered a two-out, three-run triple to center. Ben Gamblin relieved Straka and got Kennedy on a groundout.

Designated hitter Tyler Carroll homered leading off the Bronchos’ eighth, and Central Oklahoma added an unearned run in the ninth

Aaron Chong pitched a perfect ninth for the Bronchos to earn his sixth save.

Carroll, Michael Pollock, Luke Yost and Draper all had two hits for Central Oklahoma, which outhit ENMU 13-11. Hays, Marbury, Young and shortstop Kevin Thompson each collected two hits for the Hounds.

Left-hander Seth Clabaugh (3-5) went six innings, allowing eight runs — seven earned on 11 hits. He walked four and struck out seven.

The teams resume the four-game series with a 4 p.m. doubleheader today. A 1 p.m. single game is on tap Sunday.