Baseball Forced to Settle for Split on Saturday

PORTALES, N.M. – The St. Mary's Baseball Team had several chances to pull off the doubleheader sweep at Eastern New Mexico on Saturday, but had to settle for the split. The Rattlers shut the Greyhounds out in game one, 5-0 and were up 3-0 in game two, but ENMU scored four unanswered for the 4-3 win.
 
Each team got a complete game victory from their starting pitchers as junior Steven Medrano (El Paso, Texas) blanked ENMU in the opener with a career-high eight strikeouts, while the Greyhounds Ruger Bravo struck out a career-high 10 batters en route to the 4-3 win.
 
The two teams conclude the four-game series on Sunday with the Rattlers (12-21, 10-21 Lone Star) hoping to salvage a split after the heart-breaking loss in the nightcap. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m. Central/1 p.m. Mountain.
 
GAME ONE RECAP
Medrano threw his third complete game of the season to improve to 3-3 on the year. It was his first shutout as he allowed only four hits, walked two and struck out a career-best eight.
 
Both juniors Clay Bradford (Atoscocita, Texas) and Rudy Solis (El Paso) had two hits each as the Rattlers scored five runs on five hits and drew six walks. Bradford also had two of those base on balls, reaching in all four plate appearances and he swiped two bags.
 
With one out in the first inning, both Elizondo and Bradford walked. A balk moved them up 90 feet and Elizondo scored on a sacrifice fly to left by Broughton for the 1-0 advantage.
 
What could have been a base running mistake turned into a run for the Rattlers in the top of the sixth. Bradford singled up the middle with one out for the team's first hit of the game and Broughton was hit by a pitch. Solis singled to right and Bradford took an extremely wide turn at third, but a snap throw from the catcher went wide of the third baseman, allowing him to score.
 
Mares led off the seventh with a double down the left field line and moved to second on a long fly out to left center by Elizondo. After the Greyhounds went to the bullpen, Bradford laid down a fantastic bunt just to the right of the mound for a single and the RBI. Bradford hustled to second on a wild pitch, stole third and scored on a bad throw to third for the 5-0 tally.
 
GAME TWO RECAP
Junior Josh Buske (San Antonio) started on the hill for the Rattlers in game two, allowing just two earned runs on five hits with four walks and three strikeouts over four innings in a no decision. Senior Anthony Chavez (El Paso) was credited with the loss to move to 1-2 on the season. He allowed one run on one hit, walked two (one intentional) and fanned three in 2.2 innings.
 
Both Elizondo and freshman Jorge Cuevas (El Paso) recorded two hits each, while Elizondo scored two of the team's three runs and Broughton accounted for two RBIs. For the first time all season, the Rattlers did not draw a walk in the game.
 
With one out in the first, Elizondo ricocheted a ball off the pitcher for a single and scored from first on a double to left by Bradford. Bradford moved to third on the throw home and scored on a groundout by Broughton for the 2-0 advantage.
 
Elizondo bunted for a single to kick things off with one out in the third. He stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a single through the 5-6 hole by Broughton to stretch the lead to 3-0.
 
The Greyhounds got two runs back in the bottom of the third, tied the game with one in the bottom of the fourth and walked the game off with a single to center in the bottom of the seventh after a walk and intentional walk by the Rattlers.