Early scoring surge lifts ASU past Hounds

Junior right-hander Brian Kennedy threw 4 2/3 hitless innings in relief for Eastern New Mexico University's baseball team on Friday.

Unfortunately for the Greyhounds, by the time he came into the game the proverbial horse was out of the barn.

Angelo State did all its scoring in a three-inning span and the Rams cruised to a 9-3 Lone Star Conference victory over the Hounds at Greyhound Field.

The teams play a 2 p.m. doubleheader today and a 1 p.m. single game on Sunday to close out the series.

Center fielder Ryan Greer went 2-for-5 with a double and three RBIs. His two-run double gave the Rams (22-12, 7-6 LSC) a 2-1 lead in a four-run third against ENMU starter Brett Humphries (4-3).

Angelo State added three in the fourth and chased Humphries in a two-run fifth. Kennedy got out of that inning with a line drive double play, and allowed only three baserunners (two walks and an error) the rest of the way, retiring eight in a row in one stretch.

The Hounds, though, managed only four hits and two runs off Jake Albert (4-2) in six innings. ENMU (18-14, 6-8), which fell to 14-2 at home this season, got a run back in the seventh on an RBI single by Luis Quinones but couldn't get more, stranding two runners in the seventh and three in the eighth.

Second baseman Rafael Romo had an RBI infield hit in the second inning, and designated hitter Peter Creamer pulled the Hounds to 4-2 with a run-scoring single to center in the third.