PORTALES, N.M. – St. Edward's baseball split its doubleheader against Eastern New Mexico, defeating the Greyhounds in extra innings in the second game to allow itself a chance to tie the series on Sunday.
Game 1: Eastern New Mexico 6, St. Edward's 1
St. Edward's opened with a big RBI triple from DAVIS DREWEK in the top of the first inning, but the offense fizzled out after that in a 6-1 loss to Eastern New Mexico.
The Greyhounds responded immediately in the bottom of the first inning, scoring on back-to-back hits, with Jonatan Clough delivering an RBI triple to center and Willie Ponce driving him in with a single up the middle for the 2-1 lead. Eastern New Mexico added another run in the second inning when Spencer Roach grounded into a 4-6-3 double play with runners on the corners, scoring Nick Schifftner.
Dylan Hummel hit a leadoff home run in the fourth, and the Greyhounds added two more runs on a wild pitch and Demetrio Archuleta's RBI single in the sixth.
St. Edward's put two on with a pair of singles in the sixth, leaving both stranded. The Hilltoppers finished with six hits and two walks.
JACK GRANACK (1-2) started for St. Edward's and surrendered six runs on nine hits with three strikeouts and a walk in five innings. TREVOR SEBEK and LANCE LITTLE each hit 2-for-3, with the latter scoring St. Edward's lone run.
Game 2: St. Edward's 6, Eastern New Mexico 5
JOSH GRAHAM delivered an RBI single with an extra run scored on an error in the top of the eighth inning, and St. Edward's held on for the 6-5 victory.
St. Edward's jumped out to an early 4-1 lead, scoring two runs each in the second and third innings.
Drewek hit a leadoff single through the right side in the second, and Graham reached on a fielder's choice that ended with runners on the corners after a throwing error. CONNOR COX followed with a sacrifice bunt that scored two runners after a throwing error from first to the plate after the force out. CULLEN AINSWORTH hit a two-run blast over the center field fence for the 4-1 lead.
LUKE SHORT was solid in the start for St. Edward's, striking out eight with one run surrendered, five hits, and two walks in six innings.
Eastern New Mexico opened the seventh with back-to-back triples as part of a three-run inning that tied the game on a Hummel RBI single up the middle.
Little opened the eighth inning with an infield single, and Ainsworth drew a walk to put two on. Drewek executed a sacrifice bunt and reached on a throwing error, loading the bases.
Graham followed with a shallow line drive to right field, scoring Little. Eastern New Mexico right fielder Cooper Hamilton tried to throw Little out at home, but his throw was late and wide, allowing Ainsworth to score on the error.
St. Edward's relief pitcher KEVIN SKWERES struck out the first two hitters in the bottom of the eighth but then surrendered a double to Archuleta and RBI single to Matthews. Hamilton followed with a single to the right, and Matthews walked to load the bases.
Skewers kept his composure and got Ponce to fly out to right field to end the game. Seven different Hilltoppers had one hit, with Ainsworth driving in two RBIs and scoring two runs.
St. Edward's is now 9-4 with a 7-4 conference record. The Hilltoppers and Greyhounds will finish the series on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. CST.
