Hounds split with Bulldogs for second consecutive day

Freedom New Mexico

Pitching staffs took a severe beating in Eastern New Mexico University’s four-game Lone Star Conference series against Southwestern Oklahoma at Greyhound Field.

The teams combined for 82 runs and 119 hits in the four games. In the end, they were right where they started — the Bulldogs continued to lead ENMU by one-half game in the battle for one of six berths in the upcoming LSC tournament.

The teams split on Saturday for the second day in a row. ENMU (16-18, 14-14 LSC) held on to take the seven-inning opener 7-5, then got run-ruled in the nightcap for the second consecutive day as the Bulldogs (18-15, 13-12) rolled to a 16-5 victory.

ENMU scored six runs in the fourth inning of the opener to snap a 1-1 tie and held on as the top four batters in the Greyhounds’ lineup combined to go 9-for-14. Freshman center fielder Luis Quinones keyed the rally with a two-run single up the middle.

Right-hander Justin Cotten (1-2) worked into the fifth, allowing eight hits but only two runs before senior Anthony Smith finished it.

Jereme Johnson and Ethan Wagner each had three hits for ENMU. Catcher Hector Contin went 3-for-4 for the Bulldogs and drove in a pair of runs.

Southwestern opened a 9-2 lead with a six-run second, sparked by two-run doubles from second baseman Michael Felton and first baseman Ryan Salsbury. The Bulldogs’ top five hitters with 16-for-22 in a 20-hit onslaught as Salsbury finished 4-for-4 with six RBIs while Felton and catcher Hector Contin were both 4-for-5.

Shane Martin (3-0) relieved Bulldogs starter Kyle Sayers with two in, two on and one out in the bottom of the first and worked 5 1/3 innings for the win, allowing nine hits and three runs.

ENMU starter Doug McIntyre (1-4) was pulled after giving up eight hits and nine runs (eight earned) in the first two innings.

Designated hitter Paden Vendrely drove in three runs for the Hounds with a two-run single in the first and a run-scoring single in the third. Quinones, Sean Cruce and Ryan Pruitt all had two of ENMU’s 13 hits.

For the series, Contin went 11-for-17 with a double, a triple, two home runs, eight runs scored and eight RBIs while Felton was 11-for-18 with three doubles, 10 runs scored and six RBIs. For ENMU, Quinones was 8-of-14 with two doubles, five runs scored and four RBIs, and Wagner went 8-for-16 with two doubles, a home run and three RBIs.