Hounds sweep Cameron with walk-off wins

Freedom New Mexico

Coming in on a seven-game losing streak, things suddenly turned around Saturday for the Eastern New Mexico University baseball team.

The Greyhounds got strong pitching and timely hitting and pulled out a pair of walkoff wins at Greyhound Field, beating Cameron 3-2 in the seven-inning opener and 6-5 in the nine-inning nightcap in Lone Star Conference play.

ENMU (9-9, 5-7 LSC) got strong pitching in the opener from Matt Aragon, who allowed one run on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings and left with a 2-1 lead. The Aggies (13-6, 7-5) tied the score in he seventh on Alex Lyons’ leadoff triple and a sacrifice fly by second baseman Jake Forsythe, but ENMU when Seth Clabaugh was hit by a pitch with one out and came all the way around on a single into the right field corner by catcher Freddy Carmona.

Carmona and Chris Eaton both went 2-for-4 in the game, while Jerry Manning (2-1) got the win despite giving up the lead, going the final 1 2/3 innings.

The second game was even more dramatic.

Cameron took advantage of an error by shortstop Garrett Cook to score three unearned runs in the top of the fifth and open a 5-0 lead. ENMU got two back in the bottom of the fifth and one in the seventh to close to 5-3, then took advantage of a one-out error by Forsythe in the ninth to set up a late rally.

Cook reached on the error, then took second on a passed ball before Clayton young walked against reliever Keith Powell (0-1). Ethan Wagner singled home Cook and Kevin Thompson followed with a game-tying RBI double to right field.

The Aggies intentionally walked Matt Chavez to load the bases, and got a second out when Sean Cruce tapped into a 5-2 fielder’s choice.

Chris Eaton then worked the count to 3-0, took two strikes, then fouled off two pitches before smashing a single through the middle.

Senior right-hander Evan Orsak (2-0) allowed two hits in four shutout innings in relief to pick up the win. Wagner went 2-for-4 for ENMU, which finished with nine hits.