Javelinas bounce Hounds in series finale

Feb. 21—KINGSVILLE, Texas — Senior first baseman Steven Bonuz drove in six runs — five in the first two innings — and Texas A&M-Kingsville routed Eastern New Mexico University 13-3 on Sunday to capture a Lone Star Conference baseball series win over the Greyhounds.

The Javelinas (7-6, 6-6 LSC) won for the seventh time in nine games behind a 13-hit attack which included four home runs. Sophomore center fielder Dalton Kramer belted a three-run shot in the seventh, while sophomore designated hitter Jake Chapman and junior catcher Nick Wolff added solo blasts.

Bonuz hit a three-run homer, his second of the season, with one out in the bottom of the first to break the scoring ice. He then added a two-run double in the second and an RBI single in the seventh, the latter ending the game on the 10-run rule.

Senior right-hander Damian Acosta (1-2) was chased from the game in the second inning and absorbed the loss for the Hounds (4-8, 4-8).

Freshman left-hander Marco Martinez (1-0) relieved Kingsville starter Cole Payne in the second frame and worked 3 2/3 innings for the win, allowing four hits and two runs (one earned).

The Hounds scored an unearned run in the top of the second and pulled to 8-3 with two more in the sixth, one on an RBI single by sophomore DH Spencer Roach.

The Hounds return to Greyhound Field this weekend for a four-game conference series with St. Edward's, beginning with a 3 p.m. single tilt on Friday.

Texas A&M-Kingsville 14-1, ENMU 7-9 (Saturday) — Junior left-hander Ruger Bravo tossed a complete-game five-hitter to give the Hounds a split in the second of two seven-inning contests.

Bravo (1-2) struck out a career-best 13, blanking the Javelinas after giving up a two-out RBI double to right fielder Hayden Johnson in the first.

Batting eighth and ninth, junior first baseman Nyles Duren and Roach were both 2-for-4 with two RBIs for the Hounds. Roach's two-run double keyed a four-run second and broke a 1-1 tie.

Roach, who led ENMU with a .366 average and 36 RBIs in 2022, was off to a 2-for-20 start this season before going 4-for-8 with three RBIs against the Javelinas.

St. Mary's 3, ENMU 2 (softball, Saturday) — After sweeping the 19th-ranked Rattlers on Friday, ENMU's bid for a series sweep ended when St. Mary's punched over a run in the bottom of the ninth in the second extra-inning game of the series as the Rattlers (10-4, 1-2 LSC) ended a three-game losing streak.

Junior Ericka Gomez and sophomore Jamison Holder started the bottom of the ninth with singles, moved up on a sacrifice and scored when senior outfielder Lauren Garcia belted a walkoff single off the left field fence.

ENMU (10-5, 2-1) won 3-2 in nine innings in Friday's opener, then took the second game 5-3 with a five-run rally in the top of the seventh.

In Saturday's tilt, senior shortstop Jokaira Paredes hit a two-out RBI single in the top of the first, but the Rattlers took the lead on senior shortstop Lauren Ramos' two-out, two-run double in the bottom half. The Hounds tied it in the sixth on an RBI double with two outs by sophomore designated player Aylene Lucero.

Junior right-hander Dalia Smith (1-2), who earned the win in Friday's nightcap with three shutout innings in relief, worked 5 1/3 innings out of the pen in this one, permitting just one hit until the ninth.

ENMU was slated to open its home schedule with three LSC tilts this week against Western New Mexico, beginning with a twin bill on Tuesday. The series was to wrap up with a 1 p.m. single contest today.

Smith wins LSC indoor shot put — ENMU senior Tamia Smith claimed the championship over the weekend in women's shot put at the LSC indoor track championships, hosted by Lubbock Christian.

West Texas A&M swept team championships for the third year in a row. The Buffaloes won the men's title with 220 points to 129 1/2 for Angelo State, while the Lady Buffs claimed their 10th consecutive LSC crown with 248 points to 158 for ASU.

ENMU's women were ninth of 10 teams with 15 points, while the men finished eighth out of nine with 10.

Smith won the event on her first attempt with a throw of 44 feet, 11 inches, ranking her in the top five in program history. She also finished seventh in the weight throw at 45-1.

Freshman Kennedy Ulmer added three points in shot put, placing sixth at 40-2. For the men, junior Timothy Frederick claimed third place in the 200 in 21.20 seconds and seventh in the 60 in 6.89, while senior Devis Cheruiyot was seventh in the 800 in 1:56.65.

Smith (shot put) and Frederick (200) hold provisionary qualifying marks for NCAA Division II national competition, slated for March 10-11 at Virginia Beach, Va., but they will have to wait to see if they actually get in.