PORTALES, N.M. – The ACU Wildcats scored seven runs in the first inning Sunday afternoon as they knocked off Eastern New Mexico, 13-9, to earn a split of a four-game Lone Star Conference baseball series at Greyhound Field.
The win pushes the Wildcats to 18-15 overall and 6-6 in the LSC, while the Greyhounds fall to 11-18 and 2-10. ACU will be back in action this week against the league-leading Buffaloes of West Texas A&M.
The Wildcats wasted little time in jumping on ENMU starting pitcher Gabriel Hemmer, who gave up six hits, nine runs (eight earned) and three walks in just 1 2/3 innings of work.
The worst part of the first inning for Hemmer is he almost got out of the inning with only one run against him until
Chuck Duarte stepped into the box with two outs and one one and ACU up 1-0. But Duarte homered to left field to make it 3-0 and open the floodgates.
After the homer,
Kevin Finklea doubled in front of
Reed Watson, who reached when he was hit by a pitch.
Luke Mejia then walked on a 3-2 pitch to load the bases and
Emmett Niland then doubled down the left field line to clear the bases and put ACU up 6-0.
Tyler Eager then doubled to center field to drive in Niland to make it 7-0.
ACU got two more runs in the second and single runs in the third, fourth, fifth and six innings. By the time the Greyhounds scored four runs in the sixth and two in the seventh, the Wildcats already had their cushion.
Aaron Lambrix picked up the win on the mound as he went 6 2/3 innings, giving up 13 hits and nine runs (nine earned) on his way to improving to 2-3 on the season.
Kyle Conwell finished the day 3 for 6 with one RBI and a run scored for the Wildcats, while Duarte was 4 for 5 with three RBI and three runs scored.
Kevin Finklea was 3 for 5 with two runs scored, while Watson was 3 for 4 with two RBI and two runs scored. Niland finished 2 for 4 with one run scored ad four RBI.
