Hounds, Dustdevils split series

LAREDO, Texas – Eastern New Mexico University’s Lone Star Conference baseball series against Texas A&M International certainly didn’t end well.

Looking for a series win over the Dustdevils, the Greyhounds (4-4, 4-4 LSC ) instead settled for their second split of the season with a 7-4 loss in Sunday’s finale.

An RBI single by junior designated hitter Nomar Prieto and a pair of bases-loaded walks in the second spelled the end of the day for ENMU freshman right-hander Kinter Logan (0-2) and put the Hounds in a 3-1 hole.

They cut their deficit to 4-3 in the sixth on senior right fielder Cooper Hamilton’s run-scoring single and an RBI fielder’s choice by junior shortstop Willie Ponce. But the Dustdevils (2-7, 2-6) responded with three in the bottom of the seventh, the last two coming on a two-run homer by junior third baseman Abiam Medina.

“(It was) a very disappointing way to end the weekend,” said ENMU coach Riley Price, whose squad opened the campaign with a four-game split against top-ranked Angelo State the previous weekend at Greyhound Field. “It doesn’t get much uglier than that. We handed them the game to them today in all facets.”

The Hounds outhit International 10-8, but their pitching staff gave up 11 walks and a hit batsman.

ENMU tried to mount a rally in the top of the ninth, getting a one-out RBI double by junior third baseman Landon Pyles. Dustdevils lefty R.J. Patrick then earned his second save of the series, retiring the final two batters on groundouts to leave two runners in scoring position.

Junior center fielder Tucker Gideon went 3-for-5 for ENMU, while Hamilton and junior left fielder Luciana Terilli each had a pair of hits. Freshman left-hander Cody Templeton (1-0) worked 5 2/3 innings for the Dustdevils, permitting eight hits with one walk and six strikeouts.

Prieto, freshman right fielder Joshua Benitez and junior second baseman Ariben Gutierrez all had two hits for International.

ENMU begins a four-game series against Texas A&M-Kingsville (3-6, 2-6) on Friday at Greyhound Field.

ENMU 10-2, Texas A&M International 7-1 (Saturday) – Junior left-hander Ruger Bravo spun a seven-inning, complete-game four-hitter in the nightcap while the Hounds posted three consecutive multi-RBI hits in a seven-run third and held on the for the victory in Game 1.

Junior catcher Daniel Pruitt hit a go-ahead leadoff homer, his second of the season, in the top of the seventh to give the Hounds the victory in Game 2.

Bravo (1-0) walked two and struck out six, needing just 88 pitches. The Dustdevils got their only run on a fielder’s choice grounder in the sixth to tie it 1-1.

Pruitt also drove in the game’s first run with a fourth-inning single to right to score Ponce, who reached on a two-out double to right field.

Pruitt finished 2-for-3 and was the only player on either side with multiple hits. Senior right-hander Jan Cabrera (0-2) also went the distance, allowing six hits with two walks and four strikeouts.

Trailing 1-0 in the opener, the Hounds erupted in the third against International junior right-hander Lalo Salinas (0-2), taking advantage of a walk and an error to start the inning.

With one out, Ponce dropped an RBI single into left center, and took second on an error. After a walk to Pruitt, Terilli hit a two-run single to right center, junior first baseman Beau Preston doubled home two runs and junior designated hitter Juan Avila followed with two-run homer for a 7-1 lead.

The Hounds made it 9-1 in the fourth on a two-out, two-run single to center by Preston, giving him four RBIs. International chased ENMU starter Adrian Rubio with five in the bottom half, capped by a two-run single to right-center by senior catcher Nick Chavez.

Solo home runs by Benitez in the fifth and ENMU junior second baseman Demetrio Archuleta in the seventh completed the scoring.

Junior right-hander Josiah Estrella (1-0), worked 3 1/3 innings of three-hit relief for the win. Preston and Ponce each had three of the Hounds’ 13 hits.