Hounds' bid for sweep falls short

CANYON, Texas — When Luis Quinones and Brooke Brooks started the second game of Saturday's Lone Star Conference baseball doubleheader with triples, it looked like it just might be Eastern New Mexico University's day.

ENMU had already taken the first game of the twin bill from West Texas A&M, rallying for seven runs in the final three innings for a 7-6 win, and when Joe Huwer drove in Brooks with a groundout it staked the Greyhounds to an early 2-0 lead.

WT's Billy Gonzalez, though, held ENMU to just three hits after that, Carlos Maese earned his sixth save with a perfect seventh after blowing one in the opener and the Buffaloes salvaged a split with a 3-2 victory.

The teams wrap up their four-game series — and the regular season — with a noon (MDT) first pitch today.

In the opener, sophomore right-hander Brett Humphries survived five unearned WT runs in the first to throw his first complete game of the season as ENMU (13-32, 3-23 LSC) ended a seven-game losing streak to the Buffs.

Humphries (4-3), the Hounds' top winner this spring, allowed only four hits after the first — including just one hit and no runs in the final four frames. He walked five and struck out five.

Senior right fielder Brandon Devries' one-out, bases-loaded RBI fielder's choice tied score in the seventh, and catcher Mike Medina then singled off Maese (0-1) to drive in Huwer with the go-ahead run.

Medina led a 14-hit attack with 3-for-4, hitting RBI singles in each of the final three innings. Shortstop Alex Schultz was 3-for-3, while Devries and second basemen Daniel Binz each chipped in two hits.

WT (29-16, 16-11) started the first with an error, a groundout and a third-strike passed ball. Third baseman Kendall Boone hit an RBI single before designated hitter and Clovis High grad Parker Wood and right fielder Justin Henderson delivered back-to-back, two-run singles.

Senior right-hander Andrew Martin (2-7) pitched a solid game for the Hounds in the nightcap, allowing nine hits with two walks and four strikeouts in going the six-inning distance. ENMU also helped him out with a couple of double plays.

Jordan Easom and Henderson led off the WT second with doubles, and second-baseman Cody Wright tied it with a sacrifice fly. The Buffs got the winner in the third when Jarvis Smith hit a one-out double to right and came around on singles by Jess Cooper and Boone.

Linescores

Saturday

Lone Star Conference

First game

ENMU 7, West Texas A&M 6

ENMU 000 023 2 — 7 14 2

W. Texas A&M 501 000 0 — 6 8 0

Brett Humphries and Mike Medina; Ryan Houston, Paul Pulley (6), Carlos Maese (7) and Chad Miles. W — Humphries (4-3). L — Maese (0-1). DP — West Texas A&M 1. LOB — Eastern New Mexico 7, West Texas A&M 10. 2B — Eastern New Mexico: Luis Quinones, Brandon Devries 2. West Texas A&M: Justin Henderson. T — 2:11.

Second game

West Texas A&M 3, ENMU 2

ENMU 200 000 0 — 2 5 1

W. Texas A&M 021 000 x — 3 9 1

Andrew Martin and Peter Creamer; Billy Gonzalez, Carlos Maese (7) and Chad Miles, Patrick Ramirez (7). W — Gonzalez (6-2). L — Martin (7-2). DP — Eastern New Mexico 2. LOB — Eastern New Mexico 5, West Texas A&M 7. 2B — West Texas A&M: Jarvis Smith, Jordan Easom, Henderson 2. 3B — Eastern New Mexico: Luis Quinones, Brooke Brooks. T — 1:45. A — 191.