Hounds rout Tigers, move into fifth in LSC

Freedom New Mexico

Junior designated hitter Ethan Wagner hit a pair of homers, and Eastern New Mexico University’s baseball team exploded for 13 runs in the last two innings of a 15-5 Lone Star Conference rout of East Central Sunday at Greyhound Field.

The Greyhounds (23-22, 18-18 LSC) won the weekend series 3-1 and moved into fifth place in conference standings. The top six teams advance to the LSC tournament.

Catcher Freddy Carmona extended his hit streak to 26 games with a two-run double in the seventh. He later scored on a sacrifice fly by Kevin Thompson, ending the game via the LSC’s 10-run mercy rule which goes into effect after seven innings on “getaway day” of a series.

Russell Campbell (4-2) got the win, allowing four runs — three earned — over six innings. Second baseman Garrett Cook went 4-for-5 with four RBIs for the Hounds, who banged out 16 hits.

Wagner connected for a two-run shot off East Central starter Randell Shrouder (2-5) with no outs in the sixth, tying the score 4-4, then led off ENMU’s seven-run seventh with a solo blast, his team-leading eighth of the season.

Right fielder Clint Bowker went 3-for-4 and drove in two runs for the Tigers (12-32, 11-25).

The Hounds return to action on Friday, beginning a four-game conference series at Central Oklahoma with a 4 p.m. nine-inning game.