PORTALES, N.M. – Eastern New Mexico's offense shredded the ACU pitching staff for 30 runs and 32 hits on Saturday as the Greyhounds rallied from two big deficits to sweep a Lone Star Conference baseball doubleheader from the Wildcats at Greyhound Field.
The Greyhounds rallied from a late 11-2 deficit int he first game to take a 13-12 win, and then rallied from an early 5-0 hole to win the nightcap, 17-9. The two losses drop the Wildcats to 17-15 overall and 5-6 in the LSC, while the Greyhounds improve to 11-17 and 2-9.
ACU will be back in action later this week when the Wildcats host the hard-hitting and league-leading West Texas A&M Buffaloes in a four-game series beginning Thursday at Crutcher Scott Field.
In the opening game of the doubleheader, the Wildcats jumped out to a big lead, thanks to a six-run fourth and a four-run fifth that staked them to an 11-2 lead.
Kyle Conwell had a two-run double in the fourth, while
Rodge Macy had an RBI double and
Duncan Blades an RBI single in the frame. In the fifth, Luke Meijia had an RBI single,
Tyler Eager an RBI triple and Conwell a two-run triple that gave ACU a huge lead.
But the bullpen couldn't hold the lead as the quartet of
Michael Curtis,
Brady Rodriguez,
Travis Schuetze and
Clint Cooper combined to throw two innings and give up eight runs on nine hits. The Greyhounds got back into the contest in the bottom of the fifth with four runs to make it 11-6 before ACU scored a single run in the top of the sixth.
The Greyhounds then took a one-run lead in the bottom of the sixth with seven runs of their own. Mitch Wolfe had the biggest blow in the inning with a three-run double to center. ACU had a chance to tie it in the top of the seventh, but
Ryan Luckie was left stranded at second when Macy struck out to end the game.
In the second game, the Wildcats jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead through two innings, but starting pitcher
Austin Palmer couldn't make it stand up. He gave up five runs in the second as the Greyhounds tied the game, and then after ACU scored two more in the third to regain a 7-5 lead, Palmer gave up two more runs before exiting the game in favor of
Kenny Herman.
But Herman didn't have any better luck, giving up five runs (all earned) on six hits in just 1 2/3 innings of work as the Greyhounds took a 9-7 lead after three innings.
They continued to build on that lead with three runs in the fourth, two in the fifth and three in the sixth as they pulled away for the win. The Greyhounds pounded out 15 hits against four Wildcat pitchers, who allowed 16 earned runs.
