PORTALES, N.M. – A fast start was all for naught as the top-ranked Angelo State baseball team fell to Eastern New Mexico 12-9 on a windy day at Greyhound Baseball Field.
The Rams got the offensive production going early as
Tayten Tredaway hit a two-out double to score
Tripp Clark, who reached earlier on a single. After
Austin Beck drew a walk,
Eric Martinez tripled to right field to give ASU an early three-run lead.
The lead was cut down in the next frame as the Greyhounds took advantage of a walk and a hit-by-pitch to have runners in position for a two-run double.
It would not end there for ENMU, the Greyhounds loaded the bases in the third before a double off the wall scored two runs to take the lead. They added another in the ensuing at-bat with a base hit into left field to make it a 5-3 contest after three complete innings.
Mason Bryant started on the mound for the Rams, throwing 2 1/3 innings with four runs on three hits while
Scott Ellis threw 2 1/3 innings in relief with five runs on six hits.
The fourth inning saw both teams trade a run. In the top,
Ryder McDaniel grounded out to score
Justin Harris from third, who led off the inning reaching on a throwing error. In the bottom, a single to center field scored a runner from second to keep the deficit at two runs.
The Greyhounds added five more runs in the fifth, utilizing key two-out hitting and free bases allowed by Rams pitching to extend the lead to seven runs.
The Blue and Gold responded in the sixth with Harris getting hit by a pitch while
Weston Valasek and McDaniel drew walks which loaded the bases for Kam Kelton to slice a line drive to left field to score two runs. Following that,
Jacob Guerrero reached on a throwing error which scored two more runs to cut the deficit back to three.
After ENMU added a run back in the bottom of the sixth, the Rams added a final run as Harris homered to left field.
Jackson Berry threw three innings of work on the mound, allowing one run with five hits. Kelton led the Rams with three hits and two RBIs on the day while Martinez added two RBIs of his own.
The Rams will finish the series against the Greyhounds on Sunday, February 4 with the first pitch scheduled for 2 pm CST.
