Wildcats' Offense Quieted By Eastern New Mexico In 6-2 Loss

ABILENE - A pair of three-run innings were all the Eastern New Mexico Greyhounds needed to defeat the No. 27 Abilene Christian Wildcats 6-2 Friday night at Crutcher Scott Field.

The game between Lone Star Conference rivals did not count in the standings, but nevertheless, the loss dropped the Wildcats' season record to 10-6, while the Greyhounds improved to 7-5 behind a quality start from Gabriel Hemmer (1-1).

The Wildcats tagged Hemmer for single runs in the second and third in building an early 2-0 advantage, but that lead unraveled during a gaffe-filled fourth, in which Eastern took the lead for good thanks to two errors and a passed ball.

Daniel Binz began the rally with a one-out double and then Sam Hedrick reached on the third baseman's error, placing runners at the corners. ACU starter Aaron Lambrix (1-2) went on to load the bases with a hit by pitch to Dillon Downs.

Facing the No. 8 batter Alex Schultz with the 2-0 lead still in tact, Lambrix got the play he needed - a tapper back to the mound - but his throw bounced a foot in front of catcher Emmett Niland and ricocheted back to the wall. Eastern tied the game on the error, and quickly took the 3-2 lead on a passed ball.

Lambrix escaped further damage by getting Blake Thomsen to pop into an inning-ending 3-5 double play. His defense also gunned down a runner at home plate in the fifth, keeping ACU's deficit at one run.

The Greyhounds padded their lead to four against Lambrix and reliever Brady Rodriguez with a three-run sixth. Binz again clubbed a double - his second of the game - and scored two batters later on Downs' RBI single to left.

Then after Schultz doubled in Downs with a shot to the left-center gap, head coach Britt Bonneau called Rodriguez in from the bullpen.

Rodriguez registered the second out with his defense catching Schultz trying to steal home on a double-steal attempt, but he then gave up two more hits, including a RBI single from Luis Quinones that made it a 6-2 game. Quinones was later thrown out by Niland after trying to reach second on a wild pitch.

As for the Wildcats' offense, it was limited to just two hits between the third and eighth innings - a triple by Tyler Eager to start the third and a two-out single from Travis Schuetze in the fifth.

Hemmer eventually was replaced after issuing a leadoff walk to Schuetze in the eighth, but overall totaled 7.0 innings of two-run, four-hit ball with three strikeouts and four walks.

Greyhound reliever Brett Humphries pitched a 1-2-3 eighth, andChris Bataska earned his first save in the ninth after retiring the final three Wildcats in order with runners at first and second.

Reed Watson singled home Duncan Blades' for the Wildcats' first run in the second. Schuetze plated Eager - following his triple - on a sacrifice fly to center.

ACU returns to action Saturday night at 6 p.m. vs. Cameron, which lost to Tarleton State, 6-0, in the first game of the ACU/Whitten Inn Classic. Eastern will face Tarleton State tomorrow in the 1 p.m. game.

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Eastern New Mexico 6, Abilene Christian 2 (Mar 02, 2012 at Abilene, TX)
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