Baseball 3/13/2009 12:00:00 AM

Hogs and Hounds Play Two Nailbiters

Robert Cox went 4-for-5 in Game 2 on Friday

KINGSVILLE, TEXAS – The Texas A&M-Kingsville and Eastern New Mexico baseball teams squared off for a pair of exciting games on Friday as each team won one game at Nolan Ryan Field. The Greyhounds won the first game, 4-3 while the Javelinas won the second game, 3-2 in 11 innings. (Game 1, Game 2)

In the first game, it appeared the Javelinas (9-14, 6-12) had it in the bag as they went into the seventh inning with a 3-1 lead. In the top of the seventh, the Greyhounds (12-12, 9-9) scored three runs getting RBI hits from Garrett Cook and Clayton Young to tie the game and then a sacrifice fly from Seth Clabaugh gave the team a 4-3 lead.

In the bottom of the seventh inning Jerry Manning retired the Hoggies in order to pick up his third save of the season. Evan Orsak picked up the win pitching 1.0 inning of relief.

Ryan Torres was tagged with the loss for the Hoggies despite having a shutout through the first 5.2 innings. He allowed seven hits, four runs and no walks while striking out three batters in 6.1 innings of work.

The Javelina offense managed just four hits in the game. They scored one run in the first and then scored twice in the sixth inning when Will Mettlach was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Brandon Rohr was walked with the bases loaded.

In the second game, the two teams engaged in another pitcher’s duel. Sam Strickland had another strong outing for the Hoggies as he went 7.2 innings allowing six hits, three walks and two unearned runs while striking out 10 batters in a no decision. Ismael Solis was nearly as good for the Greyhounds as he allowed six hits, four walks and two runs while striking out two in 7.2 innings.

Clifton Thomas drove in the first Javelina run in the third inning and then tied the game in the fifth inning when he scored thanks to a Greyhound error.

The Greyhounds scored both of their runs in the fifth inning when Clabaugh hit a two-out, two-run double. They put runners in scoring position in the eighth, ninth and 11th innings, but could not score off Hoggie reliever Wes Callihan.

The Javelinas put a runner on third in the eighth, loaded the bases with one out in the 10th before finally scoring in the 11th. In the 11th, A.J. Hecker led off with a single and the team loaded the bases with two outs. Hecker came in to score when Doug McIntyre uncorked a wild pitch.

Callihan picked up his first victory in a Javelina uniform pitching 3.1 scoreless innings while giving up just one hit and one walk while striking out four. Robert Cox went 4-for-5 with a walk and a double to lead the offense. The Javs left 12 men on base while the Greyhounds left 10 men on base during the game.

The two teams will finish the series with a 1 o’clock doubleheader on Saturday.
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