Hounds outslugged in nightcap

PORTALES — On a day where 49 runs were scored, the last two by Texas A&M-Kingsville proved to be just enough.

Matt Perez hit an RBI fielder's choice with the bases loaded and one out in the top of the ninth, and James Black added an RBI single as the Javelinas held on for a wild 18-16 win over Eastern New Mexico University and a sweep of Saturday's Lone Star Conference baseball doubleheader at Greyhound Field.

CMI correspondent: Joshua Lucero

Greyhound senior Luis Quinones stretches to reach first base after overshooting it in the bottom of the third inning of the Greyhounds' game against Texas A&M-Kingsville Saturday afternoon at Greyhound Field.

The Javelinas used a seven-run fifth to take the opener 9-6, and have won the first three games of the series to end the Greyhounds' chances of making the LSC postseason tournament. Both games were scheduled for seven innings.

The Hounds (19-24, 6-17 LSC) will try to salvage today's nine-inning 1 p.m. series finale and end an eight-game losing streak.

It was pretty much all hands on deck in the second game for Kingsville (30-15, 13-10), which used seven pitchers, including closer Jeremy Flores (1-2) for the final three innings. The Javelinas are tied for second in the conference with Angelo State and Abilene Christian, four games behind Tarleton State and one game ahead of Incarnate Word and West Texas A&M, who split a doubleheader on Saturday at Canyon, Texas.

The Hounds held leads of 5-1 and 10-5 in the first four innings of the nightcap. They regained a 15-13 advantage with a four-run fifth highlighted by a two-run single from Andres Enriquez, but the Javs' Cash Barker hit a two-run single in the top of the seventh to put Kingsville in front 16-15.

CMI correspondent: Joshua Lucero

Greyhound junior Brett Ackerman slides safely into second after Texas A&M-Kingsville's Ben Villafuerte can't make the tag in the bottom of the third inning of the Lone Star Conference matchup Saturday afternoon at Greyhound Field. The visiting Javelinas took a 9-6, 18-16 sweep over the Greyhounds.

Enriquez then sent the game into extra innings with a one-out RBI single off Flores in the bottom half. ENMU eventually had two on and one out, but Flores escaped by getting a strikeout and a popout.

After each team scored in six of the first seven innings, neither scored in the eighth, but Kingsville loaded the bases with no one out in the ninth on a walk, a hit batsmen and a bunt single to set up its final rally.

Both teams had 18 hits. Enriquez went 4-for-5 and designated hitter Peter Creamer was 3-for-5 for ENMU, with each driving in three runs.

In the opener, the Hounds led 2-1 before the wheels came off for starter Brett Humphries (4-5) in the fifth. He gave up five singles, two walks and two hit batsmen before Brian Kennedy managed to get the final two outs and leave two runners stranded.

Black hit a two-out homer in the seventh to make it 9-2 before the Hounds made it interesting with four consecutive hits — a single by Rogers, a double by Enriquez, a two-run single by Romo and a run-scoring triple by Ackerman to chase Taylor Taska (6-2).

Tres Tyler got the final three outs, allowing a run on Ryan Forkel's RBI groundout.

ENMU outhit the Javs 13-12, with five players getting two hits apiece. Meantime, Black was 3-for-3 for Kingsville and drove in three runs, including two on a fifth-inning single.