Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
ENMU can still manage series split with win today.
Eastern New Mexico University shortstop Endy Vilalona gets the tag down in time at second base as Angelo State's Zach Fleet was out tryng to stretch a two-run, second-inning single during the opener of their Lone Star Conference baseball doubleheader on Saturday at Greyhound Field. The 11th-ranked Rams took both ends of the twin bill, winning 5-2 and 3-2.
Eastern New Mexico third baseman Garlind Webster and Angelo State baserunner Steven Pinales wait on the call in the fifth inning of Saturday's Lone Star Conference doubleheader opener at Greyhound Field. Pinales was called out on the steal attempt.
PORTALES — Angelo State got run-scoring singles from Jacob Boston and Jay Gonzales in a three-run sixth and the Rams held off Eastern New Mexico University 3-2 on Saturday for a sweep of their Lone Star Conference baseball doubleheader.
The Greyhounds rallied for two-runs in the bottom of the sixth, but closer Joe Hauser survived that and worked the final two innings for his 12th save and second of the day. Both games were seven innings.
ASU (32-9, 10-4 LSC) won the opener 5-1. ENMU, which beat the 11th-ranked Rams 7-2 in Friday's series opener, will go for a four-game split in today's 1 p.m. finale.
Angelo's Jake Mathys (6-2) allowed just two hits over five innings in the nightcap, leaving with a scoreless tie.
Both teams finished with five hits. First baseman Mitch Henshaw went 2-for-4 for the Rams, while designated hitter Alex DeLaCruz was 2-for-3 for the Hounds (28-17, 6-11).
In the opener, right-hander Ryan Smith improved to 9-0 for the season, allowing four hits and just one earned run in six-plus innings before Hauser got the final three outs.
Catcher Zach Fleet and right fielder Steven Pinales hit two-run singles in the second and fifth innings, respectively, staking the Rams to a 4-1 lead. First baseman Jay Gonzales added a seventh-inning sacrifice fly.
ENMU got on the board in the third inning when catcher Levi Shandrew scored on a wild pitch by Smith. Pinch-hitter Tyler Barker added an RBI single in the seventh off Hauser, his first hit of the season in just his third at-bat.
Barker added another pinch-hit single in the seventh inning of the nightcap.
ENMU 7, Angelo State 2 (Friday) — Junior right-hander Austin Paisar tied a school record with 14 strikeouts and the Hounds opened a 5-0 lead after three innings to take the series opener.
Paisar (5-3) threw 145 pitches in his second complete game of the season, walking two and scattering eight singles. He matched Mark Jackson, who fanned 14 against Wayland Baptist on March 3, 1993.
"Austin was lights-out tonight," ENMU coach David Gomez said. "We have a ton of respect for Angelo State and their hitters. He did a great job of attacking the strike zone and getting ahead in the count.
"We decided to shake things up a bit this weekend and move him into the Friday night slot, and he didn't disappoint."
ENMU chased reigning LSC pitcher of the week Matt Shannon (6-3) after three innings. Shannon allowed only three hits, but walked six and struck out no one.
The Hounds took a 1-0 lead in the first on a run-scoring groundout by Jesus Villalobos, then added two in the second before juniors Garlind Webster and Gabriel Vargas hit RBI singles in the third.
Vargas doubled and scored on sophomore Chris Padilla's sacrifice fly in the fifth, and shortstop Endy Villalona singled home Zach Shank in the eighth.
