March 9, 2010

HOBBS, N.M. - The Eastern New Mexico University baseball team traveled to Hobbs on Tuesday to face the University of the Southwest Mustangs for the first time since the 2002 season.  Historically, the Hounds have held the edge against their neighbors to the south, leading the all-time series, 16-5-1, dating back to the 1993 season. Tuesday would prove to be no exception as the Hounds would take the contest convincingly, 15-1, setting season highs for both hits and total bases, with 19 and 29, respectively.

The Greyhounds would draw first blood in the top of the fourth inning when Mitch Wolfe (DH, Soph., Litchfield Park, Ariz/Agua Fria) would get under a pitch from Mustang pitcher Garrett Bertola, sending it sailing over the left-field fence. The hit would extend Wolfe's hitting streak to ten games.  In the top of the fourth, the Hounds would score one run on one hit with no errors and no men left on base.

Eastern would add to their lead in the top of the fifth inning when a Garrett Cook (INF, Sr., Deming, N.M./Lamar CC) single would score Luis Quinones (OF, Fr., Las Cruces, N.M./Las Cruces) from first base.  Quinones had reached earlier on a single to the shortstop. A Jereme Johnson (OF, Sr., Roswell, N.M./New Mexico JC) sacrifice fly would then score Cook from third, increasing the Hounds' lead to three. In the top of the fifth, the Hounds would score two runs on three hits with no errors and one man left on base.  At the halfway point in the fifth, the Hounds would lead the Mustangs, 3-0.

The seventh inning would prove to be a big inning for the Hounds as the bats would come alive, increasing the Greyhounds' lead yet again. In the top of the seventh, the Hounds would score eight runs on six hits and four errors by the Mustangs. Eastern would leave one man on base. At the midpoint in the seventh inning the Hounds would lead the Mustangs 11-1.

The Mustangs would get on the board in the bottom of the seventh when Steven Vizcaino, who was brought in as a pinch hitter for Joshua Capello, would score on a fielding error by Eaton. In the bottom of the seventh, University of the Southwest would score one run on one hit and one error with two men left on.  At the top of the eighth, the Hounds would lead the Mustangs, 11-1.

The Greyhounds would add more runs to their total in the top of the eighth inning, increasing the lead to fourteen. Eastern would benefit from hot bats as they continued to widen the gap on the scoreboard, adding four runs on four hits and no errors. 

Neither team would score in the ninth inning, leaving the final score at 15-1 in favor of the Greyhounds.   Freshman Chris Martinez (SP, Fr., Bayard, N.M.)  would get the win for the Hounds, pitching 1.0 innings for the Hounds. Eastern would use seven pitchers during the contest.

The Hounds will return to home action on Monday, March 15 when they take on Texas-Permian Basin.  First pitch is set for 4 p.M. MST.