CNJ staff
ADA, Okla. — Junior right-hander Thomas Green pitched eight solid innings and was backed by a 16-hit attack Saturday as Eastern New Mexico University pounded East Central 13-4 in the first game of a Lone Star Conference baseball doubleheader.
The second game was suspended by lightning with one out in the bottom of the fourth and the host Tigers leading 5-3. It will be resumed at 11 a.m. (MDT) today, prior to the regularly-scheduled finale of the four-game series.
Green (4-3) allowed eight hits and four runs over eight innings in the opener and led 13-2 before surrendering a one-out, two-run homer to right fielder Dusty Rowland in the bottom of the eighth. Antwhan Yazzie finished with a one-hit ninth.
Catcher Freddy Carmona’s three-run homer off Kolbie Brown (4-5) gave the Greyhounds a 5-1 lead in the top of the fourth, and ENMU (21-20, 14-16 LSC) put the game away with a six-run seventh capped by Clayton Young’s two-run triple.
Jonathon Marbury and Derrick Kennedy both went 3-for-4 for the Hounds, while Carmona and designated hitter Paden Vendrely were each 2-for-3. Chris Eaton’s sacrifice fly and Sean Cruse’s run-scoring single gave ENMU a 2-1 lead in the top of the second.
In the nightcap, a bases-loaded walk to Seth Clabaugh and Vendrely’s RBI single staked ENMU to a quick 2-0 lead, but the Tigers (16-30, 13-21) came right back with four runs off Evan Orsak in the bottom of the first. Rowland and Zach Hammons hit RBI singles, and Tyler Gillum put East Central in front with a two-run single.
Marbury’s sacrifice fly off Stephen Spears pulled the Hounds to 4-3 in the second. The Tigers got that run back in the bottom of the third on a single by Hammons, a walk to Gillum and an RbI single to left by catcher Chase Watkins.
