St. Ed's comes back to take series from ENMU

AUSTIN, Texas — Junior right-hander Damian Acosta went all out to get Eastern New Mexico University’s baseball team a win in its Lone Star Conference and season opener on Saturday.

Acosta threw a whopping 144 pitches and survived seven walks, but struck out nine and allowed only four hits in the Greyhounds’ 4-3 victory over St. Edward’s.

The Hilltoppers held on to win the nightcap 5-4, then took the series by sweeping Sunday’s twin bill 12-0 and 11-6.

Both teams scored three times in the third in Saturday’s seven-inning opener. The Hounds took the lead on catcher Jake Thompson’s run-scoring double in the sixth, and Acosta was able to make it stand up.

Left fielder Braeton Matthews and second baseman Dax Edmonds hit run-scoring singles for the Hounds in the third. St. Ed’s tied it on a two-run double by third baseman Stacey Bailey in the bottom half.

Texico junior Daulton Thatcher (0-1) was chased in a three-run St. Ed’s sixth in the nightcap, giving the Hilltoppers a 5-1 lead. The Hounds pulled to within a run on pinch-hitter Myles Duran’s two-run double in the eighth, but St. Ed’s junior right-hander Jason Flores worked the final two innings and earned a save despite giving up Duran’s knock.

St. Ed’s 12-11, ENMU 0-6 (Sunday) — Shortstop Davis Drewek’s two-run homer broke the scoring ice in the bottom of the second in the seven-inning opener, and catcher Cullen Ainsworth’s three-run shot kicked off a four-run third.

The Hilltoppers had only eight hits, but benefited from eight walks — all by three relievers — and two hit batsmen. Freshman left-hander Roger Bravo (0-1) worked four innings, allowing six hits and five earned runs with four strikeouts.

Hilltoppers sophomore left-hander Luke Short (1-0) scattered four hits over six innings, with three walks and seven strikeouts.

In the nightcap, ENMU carried a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the fifth behind freshman right-hander Noah De La Rosa (0-1) before St. Ed’s erupted for eight runs. The Hilltoppers collected 13 hits in the contest, while ENMU committed six errors.

Junior right-hander Eric Worden (1-0), the second of five St. Ed’s hurlers, worked 5 1/3 innings for the win, allowing four hits and an unearned run with five strikeouts.

The Hounds open their home slate this weekend with a four-game conference series against rival West Texas A&M, beginning with a 4 p.m. single game on Friday.