Hounds lose finale, but capture series against Patriots

TYLER, Texas — Right fielder Carson Cox and shortstop Tanner Roach knocked in three runs apiece on Sunday, and Texas-Tyler salvaged the finale of a four-game Lone Star Conference baseball series with a 13-0 rout of Eastern New Mexico University.

Cox , Roach and second baseman Tommy Van de Sanden all hit two-run singles in the Patriots’ 10-run fourth to break open a 2-0 game, while left-hander Nolan Cox (1-0) worked six innings, allowing four hits and striking out eight. The contest was shortened to 6 1/2 innings by the 10-run rule.

Despite the loss, ENMU (8-12, 7-11 LSC) has won back-to-back series and six of its last eight games.

Tyler (11-13, 11-13) put together its second 17-hit game of the series, the other coming in Friday’s series opener won by the Hounds 11-6. The Patriots scored more runs on Sunday than they did in the first three games (10).

Nine players hit safely for the Patriots, including six with multiple knocks. Roach and third baseman Kyle McShaffry each finished with three hits.

This weekend, the Hounds welcome Arkansas-Fort Smith to Greyhound Field for a four-game conference set, beginning with a 6 p.m. single tilt on Friday.

ENMU 5-5, Texas-Tyler 3-1 (Saturday) — The Hounds struck early in both games of the twin bill, and their pitching held up against the Patriots to ensure a series win.

Junior right-hander Damian Acosta (2-2) went five innings in the opener, allowing three runs (one earned) on four hits with four strikeouts and one walk. Junior William McBride worked out of bases-loaded jams in each of the final two innings to notch an eventful first save of the season.

Meantime, ENMU scored three in the first on an error and sophomore right fielder Cooper Hamilton’s two-run single. In the third, the Hounds made it 4-1 on a fielder’s choice grounder by first baseman Nick Schifftner.

After the Patriots got a pair of unearned runs in the fourth, Schifftner added an insurance tally in the sixth with a run-scoring single.

In Game 2, freshman left-hander Ruger Bravo (2-3) threw a 106-pitch, complete-game seven-hitter, while the Hounds opened a 5-0 lead with two in the first and three in the third. Bravo walked four and fanned five.

ENMU scored in the opening frame on a balk, a wild pitch and catcher Andres Quintana’s RBI double, while center fielder Braeton Matthews doubled home a run and scored on a triple by designated hitter Nyles Duren in the third. Meantime, Tyler’s only run came on a bases-loaded wild pitch by Bravo with two outs in the fourth.

ENMU collected nine hits in the game, with Quintana going 2-for-3 with a walk and Hamilton finishing 2-for-4.