TYLER, TEXAS – After the Patriots and Greyhounds battled closely over the first few innings, a four run seventh inning for Eastern New Mexico ultimately gave them the edge as they took the opening game of the series by a score of 11-6.
 
Dylan Blomquist got the ball to start the contest for UT Tyler, and Eastern New Mexico jumped on him early. A strikeout and a fielder's choice after a single gave the Patriots two outs with just one runner on, but four consecutive singles plated three runs as the Greyhounds never loaded the bases. A double from Kian Johnston plated two more runs and gave the Greyhounds a 5-0 lead after just one half inning.
 
In the bottom half of the first, UT Tyler got to work getting themselves back into the game. Tanner Roach reached first on an error by the third baseman and advanced to second as the ball bounced into left field. Kyle McShaffry advanced him to third with a groundout to the pitcher.
 
That brought in reigning LSC Hitter of the Week Ethan Bedgood, and he made his first at-bat count with a base hit to second to score Roach for the first Patriots run.
 
Blomquist got back to work in the top of the second and faced the minimum amount of hitters with a strong three up three down inning. That gave the Patriots another chance to keep chipping away at the Greyhounds lead.
 
A leadoff double from Tommy van de Sanden and a single from Jordan Gochenour put runners on first and third. A single from Cade Watson drove in a run and Riley Lambert cashed in another run with a single of his own to make it 5-3.
 
After the leadoff hitter reached on an error, and the next hitter walked, Easton Malin entered the game for Blomquist. After a failed sacrifice bunt nailed the lead runner, a passed ball advanced both runners into scoring position, but Malin came through by inducing a pair of popups and getting out of the jam.
 
The bottom of the third saw the bats catch fire again for UT Tyler, scoring three more runs and taking the lead for the first time in the game. A single from Bedgood and two straight fielder's choices moved him to third and placed van de Sanden on first. Back to back singles from Gochenour and Watson scored a pair of runs, and Carson Cox drove in the final run after an error by the first baseman.
 
The next few innings turned into a pitchers duel for both Malin and Noah De La Riva for Eastern New Mexico. Malin retired 11 consecutive hitters over the end of the third, and fourth through sixth innings. De La Riva allowed five hits in the fourth through sixth innings, but held the Patriots scoreless in each frame.
 
A leadoff single in the top of the seventh broke Malin's streak, and the next hitter reached on an error and consequently moved himself and the leadoff hitter into scoring position. A wild pitch scored one, and a sacrifice fly scored another run to give the Greyhounds the lead back. A two out, two run home run came in the next at-bat, and that moved the lead out to three for Eastern New Mexico.
 
De La Riva stayed strong throughout the seventh inning, retiring the side after a leadoff walk. Two singles for the Patriots in the eighth inning put a runner in scoring position, but De La Riva got out of the jam again with two consecutive outs.
 
In the ninth inning, Eastern New Mexico tacked on two more runs to extend the lead out to five with just a half inning remaining. Two hitters reached on a walk and a single, and both came around to score on a throwing error that bounced a ball down the right field line.
 
In the bottom of the ninth, the Patriots needed a rally, and after a flyout and Cox was hit by a pitch and moved to second on a fielder's choice, they were down to their last out. Alex Bruce stepped in and delivered a pinch hit single, but a lineout to left on a hard hit ball from McShaffry ended the threat and the game.
 
UT Tyler set a new season high in hits in a game this season with 17, and five different players came away with a multi-hit game. Leading the way with a 4-for-5 performance was Ethan Bedgood. He drove in one run and scored a run to add to his line for the contest. Riley Lambert went 3-for-6 on the day with one RBI.
 
Dylan Blomquist went for his shortest outing of the year at just two innings. He gave up six hits and five earned runs while striking out three and walking just one.
 
Easton Malin got the loss after going 4.2 innings and giving up just two hits and four runs while allowing no earned runs. Malin struck out four hitters and issued just one walk.
 
UT Tyler will now look to bounce back on Saturday as they will take on the Greyounds in game two and three of the four game series. The two teams will play a doubleheader consisting of two seven inning games and first pitch of game one is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. The second game will begin approximately 35 minutes after the first game ends.