Portales, NM - Texas A&M-Kingsville was not able to keep up with Eastern New Mexico on opening day as it fell, 3-9, Friday from Greyhound Baseball Field.
The Javelinas (0-1, 0-1 LSC) notched eight hits, but were only able to plate three runs off of said hits. Meanwhile, the Greyhounds (1-0, 1-0 LSC) plated nine runs off 10 hits, six of which came in the third and fourth innings that blew the game open.Â
Junior pitcher
Garrett Nail was a mixed bag in his debut for the Javelinas, as he would strike out nine batters in just 3.2 innings of work. The Sweeny Texas native however allowed four earned runs, seven total, and six hits as he was tabbed with his first loss of the season.
Ruben Rendon III came in for relief of Nail, striking out four batters in 2.2 innings of work.
Sawyer Smith made his collegiate debut as well, going 1.2 innings with one K.
Opening day started as good as the Javelinas hoped, leading off with a full-count walk from Joshue Endo that was brought in later by
Easton Hewitt. Inning number two brought in more good fortune for the Javelinas, as a pair of hits by
Landon Salinas and
Isaiah Aguilar put the Javelinas in a great position to plate more runs early in the contest.
Sergio Galvan Jr. brought in Salinas with an RBI, but Aguilar was caught along the base paths to end the inning in a double-play.
That double-play seemed to be all the momentum the Greyhounds needed to take control of the game, plating three runs in the bottom of the third all with two outs for the Javelinas. The bottom of the fourth was what put the Javelinas in a deep hole, as the Greyhounds hit their first home run of the season, plating three more runs that made it a 2-7 ball game.
Texas A&M-Kingsville tried to rally their way back into the game in the sixth, as
Eric Martinez plated Endo with an RBI-double to cut it to a four-point game.
Nick Reyes and Salinas found their way onto the basepath with a single and a HPB respectively, but Eastern New Mexico was able to get out of the jam and keep the lead to just four.
Eastern New Mexico were able to plate two more runs in the seventh inning to build their lead to six runs. The Javelinas started another rally in the eighth, plating two runs off of a HBP and a walk from
Fisher Davis and
Travis Vlasek. However, the Greyhounds got out of a bases-loaded jam and kept the Javelinas off the scoreboard for the rest of the contest.
Game two of the series is set to begin at 3:00 pm CST. Fans of the Javelinas can watch the game on FloCollege or follow the game at JavelinaBSB on X.
