PORTALES, N.M. – The Eastern New Mexico University baseball team dropped the rubbermatch with third-ranked West Texas A&M, 6-4. ENMU moves to 22-8 overall and 1-3 in Lone Star Conference action following the setback.

Paul Tapia sparked the offense, going 3-for-4 with a run scored and Zach Shank also went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Enrique Perez, Blake Frye, Nick DeArmond and Victor Persad held the Buffs to just two runs over the final eight innings.

In the top of the first, the Buffs jumped out to a 1-0 lead. After Bryce Wellborn (4-1) surrendered a leadoff walk to Jimmy Cubillos, the right-hander struck out back-to-back hitters, but a Luis Amaro doubled to center, allowing Cubillos to score from first.

Welborn struggled with command in the top of the second, hitting the first batter before walking five-straight to give WT a 3-0 lead. The starter was lifted for Enrique Perez who held the Buffs to just one more run in the frame despite entering the inning with the bases loaded and no outs. On a 2-0 count, Perez induced a ground ball to second, but the Hounds were unable to double up Nick Canas, allowing the run to score. Perez then got a strikeout and a flyout to center to end the threat.

Eastern began to chip away at the lead in the bottom of the sixth. Alex DeLaCruz reached on an error to start the frame and went first-to-third on a single from Endy Villalona. Michael McNicholl laid down a perfect safety squeeze bunt to put the Hounds on the board, 4-1.

West Texas would add a pair of runs in the seventh and eighth, responding to the scores from the Green and Silver.

Eastern would continue to chip away in the bottom of the seventh. Paul Tapia singled through the left side to lead off the inning and scored on Zach Shanks double off the wall in left. After a pair of flyouts, DeLaCruz roped a single to the right-center alley to move the score to 5-3.

In the eighth, Garlind Webster rifled a one-out single back through the box before Tapia smoked a ball through the right-side of the infield to put runners on the corners and bringing the tying run to the plate. Shank singled to left to plate Webster and pull the score to 6-4.

The Greyhounds return to the diamond on Friday, April 7 on the road at Cameron. For all the latest news on ENMU athletics, follow @ENMUBaseball and @ENMUAthletics on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

-Eastern New Mexico University-
Baseball
Will Edwards