ENMU baseball squad hopes to rebound in 2017

PORTALES — Eastern New Mexico University’s baseball team is certainly looking for better things in 2017, but the Greyhounds will have to do it with a relatively inexperienced roster.

ENMU returns just 14 players from last year’s 10-40 squad (3-32 Lone Star Conference). That followed a 26-24 campaign (15-20 LSC) in 2015, the first year for David Gomez as the program’s head coach.

They’re opening the 2017 at Jackson, Tennessee, with doubleheaders on Friday and today against Lane College. ENMU got off to a flying start, sweeping the Dragons 21-4 and 23-0.

No other information was immediately available on the games.

After today’s 11 a.m. (MST) twin bill against Lane, the Hounds travel to Atlanta next weekend for six games in four days, starting on Friday. The home opener is set for Feb. 21 against Wayland Baptist.

The Greyhounds started 5-1 last season before getting into the meat of the schedule. They ended the year on a 16-game losing streak, capped by a wild 21-20 LSC loss to Cameron at Greyhound Field in which ENMU nearly came back from a staggering 13-0 deficit in the top of the first.

Only a handful of the returnees were significant contributors last season. The top returning hitters are senior outfielder Michael McNicholl (.287, two HRs, 20 RBIs) and junior infielder/pitcher Keenan Dodd (.235, 1 15), while outfielder Marcus Martinez hit .298 in 47 at-bats.

The Hounds batted .276 with 25 home runs last season, but the pitching staff struggled to an 8.97 earned run average while also giving up 75 unearned runs, the result of 94 errors.

Top returning pitchers are junior right-hander Nick DeArmond, who made four starts among 11 appearances last season, and senior righty Scott Klein, who had a 4.91 earned run average over 15 relief outings.

Softball — At Durant, Okla., ENMU had a chance to gain a first-day split in the Southeastern Oklahoma regional tournament, but the host Savage Storm rallied for four runs in the bottom of the seventh to pull out a 6-5 victory. Earlier, the Greyhounds lost to Central Oklahoma 9-1.

ENMU faces St. Mary’s at 8:30 a.m. and St. Edward’s at 1:30 p.m. (MST) today to close out the event.

Destiny Riddle, Southeastern’s starting pitcher who was chased after giving up five runs in the first three innings, hit a two-out, two-run double to tie it in the seventh, and the winning run came across on an outfield error on the next batter.

Alyssa Lovato took the hard-luck loss for the Hounds, allowing seven hits with three walks and four strikeouts in a complete-game effort in the circle. First baseman Erikka Burke hit a solo home run for ENMU and shortstop Susannah Chandler went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored for ENMU.

In the early game, UCO catcher had three hits and three RBIs, including a two-run double, as the Bronchos opened a 7-0 lead in the first two innings. The game was called after six because of the eight-run rule.

Right fielder Brooke Zukerman also drove in three runs for UCO, while shortstop Morgan Heard had a solo homer.

ENMU’s Kaylee Rogers went the distance in the circle, allowing 11 hits but charged with only three earned runs. Abbie Lancaster relieved starter Jessi Walker and pitched out of a two-on, one-out jam in the second, allowing three hits and a run over the final 4 2/3 innings.

Audrey Velasquez drove in Precious Aguirre with ENMU’s lone run in the third inning.