Split keeps Hounds' playoff bid afloat

PORTALES — One spot remains in the Lone Star Conference baseball tournament. It could still belong to Eastern New Mexico, with a little bit of help.

Cesar Capellan picked up his first win of the season in 2 2/3 innings of relief, and the Greyhounds kept their slim playoff hopes alive with a 9-8 win Sunday over Tarleton State to secure a split in the four-game series.

The visiting Texans took the Friday opener 2-1 and Saturday’s doubleheader opener 21-13, while the Greyhounds took Saturday’s nightcap by a 9-6 count.

The Texans and Greyhounds ended the weekend where they started it, with Tarleton State holding a one-game lead over Eastern. But now just four games remain for each, as the Texans (14-32, 4-16) host UT Permian Basin and the Greyhounds (15-29, 3-17) travel to Texas A&M-Kingsville.

In order to reach their second-consecutive LSC tournament, the Greyhounds will need some help from UT Permian Basin. More specifically, they’ll need a combination of wins and Tarleton State losses equaling six or more. The Texans, who own a head-to-head tiebreaker over the Greyhounds, clinch the final playoff spot with any combination of wins and ENMU losses equaling three or more.

The top two seeds are the only ones locked for the single elimination tournament. Top Angelo State will host the tournament, and both the Rams and second seed West Texas A&M will receive a first-round bye.

Cameron, Texas A&M-Kingsville and UT Permian Basin are within three games of each other for the next three seeds, but Tarleton State can still finish fifth with a home sweep of the Falcons this weekend.

Sunday (ENMU 9-8) — Five Greyhounds had multi-hit games, led by rightfielder Malcolm Boehm’s 2-for-4 effort with a pair of RBIs. He singled with two outs in the third to score Nicholas Ankerman and had an RBI double in Eastern’s three-run fifth that chased starter H Thomas.

Greyhound starter Fernando Burgos pitched well enough to win, giving up two runs on four hits with six walks in his 5 2/3 innings, but fell out of consideration for the decision after the Texans posted a four-run eighth to take the lead.

The Greyhounds responded in the bottom of the inning, loading the bases twice against reliever Jon Law (1-3). The first time, Ryan Anderson put the Greyhounds back on top with a two-out, two-run single. The second time, the Texans got out of the jam with Chris Reed striking out Malcolm Smith to end the inning.

Capellan (1-0) walked the second hitter of the ninth and saw him advance to second on a wild pitch, but stuck out pinch hitter Abel Osoria and got a game-ending lineup from Jordan Parker.

The Texans managed just five singles against Greyhound pitching, but took advantage of nine walks, three hit batters and three errors.

Saturday opener (Tarleton 21-13) — The Texans had little trouble closing the Greyhounds out, with 12 runs in the first two innings and an eight-run first which saw a dozen hitters come to the plate.

The Greyhounds burned through four pitchers in the first two innings, with starter Joel Torres dropping to 3-7 after giving up five runs on four hits. Zach Mesa chased Torres with a three-run double. Mesa was one of three Texans with four RBIs on the game, along with Jon Law and Hunter Thomas. Law hit a three-run shot in the Texans’ four-run second, while Thomas hit a bases-clearing triple during a five-run fourth.

Zach Svensson (2-4) picked up the right-time, right-place win, allowing three runs on three hits and four walks in 1 2/3 innings.

Shortstop Paul Tapia went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs.

Saturday nightcap (ENMU 9-6) — Boehm and Ankerman hit two-run homers in the second and fifth, respectively, and Enrique Perez (5-4) got the win despite struggling in the late innings.

Perez went 5 1/3, with nine hits and five walks against eight strikeouts. He left with the bases loaded after a Fowler RBI single, and reliever Liam Sabiston allowed a pair of the inherited runners to score.

Sabiston walked Thomas to open the seventh, but got a 6-4-3 double play before striking out Jake Spence for the five-out save.

Ankerman was 3-for-4 to lead the Greyhound offense’s eight-hit attack.