HOBBS, N.M. — The Oklahoma Panhandle State baseball team (1-1) used a go-ahead triple from
Alejandro Hernandez as part of a three-run sixth inning in game two to secure an opening-day split Sunday afternoon at the University of the Southwest (1-1). Panhandle State had fallen in the opener 5-4 in 10 innings before coming back for its 6-4 win in the nightcap.
Game 1: Hernandez,
Zoilo Pimentel and
Juan Perez reached base consecutively in the first inning, with Perez' one-out, RBI single giving the Aggies an early 1-0 lead. USW manufactured a in the bottom of the inning to it up.
OPSU jumped back ahead in the second frame when
Philip Matos was hit by a pitch and
Neugyen Culmer singled, which eventually set the table for
Genesis Nunez' first at-bat with the Aggies. Nunez delivered with a two-out, two-run triple to right-center that made it 3-1, Aggies.
Starting pitcher
Jean Duran and his defense settled into the next couple frames, but the Mustangs took advantage of a free pass, error and single to knot things again, 3-3, through four innings. Duran, who had played previously for McCook Community College, completed a career-high five frames and seven strikeouts, allowing one earned run.
Kage Ralstin (0-1) then entered in the sixth for an extended relief appearance, and he began his day by putting up a pair of zeros. Meanwhile, the Aggie lineup threatened to score multiple times in the seventh inning, including when Nunez had his second two-out triple of the day, though he was left stranded.
Panhandle State finally grabbed a 4-3 edge in the eighth inning, as Jackson Sommerville singled through the left side to plate
Andrew Valencia, who was in to run for Perez after he doubled.
USW tied it back up in the eighth, but Ralstin escaped with just the one run allowed and recovered to pitch a scoreless ninth and send it to the 10th. OPSU's bats fell silent, though, and the Mustangs walked it off on a pair of doubles.
Nunez and Perez both recorded three hits in the opener, with Nunez' two triples and two RBIs leading the way. The Aggies out-hit the Mustangs, 10-7.
Game 2: As it had done in game one, OPSU scored in the first by manufacturing a run, aided by Nunez' walk and stolen base. Southwest put together a threat and did tie things at 1-1 in the bottom of the inning, but right fielder
Jim Paredes and second baseman Hernandez combined on a perfect relay to gun down a Mustang runner at the plate.
Paredes got things done at the plate the next half inning, notching an RBI infield single. After USW retook the lead on a two-run homer in the third, Paredes drove in the tying run on a groundout in the fourth, making it 3-3.
The Mustangs came right back, chasing
Miguel Montano – who finished with four strikeouts in 3.1 innings – in the fourth frame after going ahead on a pair of hits.
Matao Laguna was called upon to get out of the inning, and the junior did so promptly, keeping the score at 4-3, Mustangs.
Following a scoreless fifth, OPSU got the boost it needed by drawing back-to-back two-out walks. Hernandez then came through with his two-run triple to right, and the Aggies tacked on an insurance run via an error.
Laguna (1-0) completed the sixth frame with a pair of strikeouts, and he worked around a leadoff USW single in the seventh to seal the win. The Temple, Oklahoma, native's line read 3.2 innings of shutout ball with three strikeouts for an impressive OPSU debut.
What's up next: Panhandle State concludes the series with USW on Monday with another doubleheader beginning at 12 noon MST (1 p.m. CST).
