Hounds takes series finale at Angelo

SAN ANGELO, Texas — Eastern New Mexico University got home runs from shortstop Endy Villalona and pinch-hitter Chris Padilla on Sunday and held off fourth-ranked Angelo State 12-9, salvaging the finale of the four-game non-league baseball series between Lone Star Conference rivals and ending the Rams’ 12-game winning streak.

Villalona, a junior, belted a three-run homer, his first of the season, to give the Greyhounds (15-4) a 6-1 lead in the second inning. He finished the day 2-for-3 with three walks and four runs scored.

Tapia’s homer, also his first, made it 12-5 in the top of the sixth finished ENMU’s scoring. Senior right-hander Dwight Velarde went the final 3 1/3 innings for his second save of the season.

ENMU pounded out 14 hits, with junior second baseman Alex DeLaCruz and junior third baseman Garlind Webster each collecting two single and a double. The Hounds stranded 13 runners, leaving the bases loaded in the fourth and the ninth.

Angelo State (12-2) used six pitchers in the 3 1/2-hour marathon. The Rams got solo home runs from Steven Pinales and Matt Waller.

The Hounds return to action on Friday in the opener of a three-game series at Hardin-Simmons.

Angelo State 7-5, ENMU 3-3 (Saturday) — In the first of two seven-inning games, ASU took a 4-2 lead with a three-run fourth.

Villalona, who went 3-for-3 in the game, made it 4-3 with an RBI single in the fifth, but the Rams put together another three-spot in the sixth as Waller doubled home two runs and scored on a single by Nick Novak.

ASU starter Ryan Smith (3-0) got the win with four innings of work. Nick DeArmond (2-1), who relieved ENMU’s Scott Klein with one on and one out in the fourth, took the loss.

Leadoff man Jonathan Soberanes paced an 11-hit Rams attack, going 4-for-4 and scoring three times.

In the nightcap, Webster hit a two-out homer in the second, his first of the season, but the Rams rallied to build a 5-1 lead through six innings.

The Hounds made a belated run at it, though. Designated hitter Chris Padilla singled with one out in the seventh, but was thrown out trying to score on Webster’s double.

Blake Frye followed with a run-scoring single and came home on a single up the middle by Luke Vedder before Rams closer Joe Hauser got ENMU’s Levi Shandrew on a grounder to first base, notching his sixth save and second in the series.