TYLER, TEXAS – Solid starting pitching was the story of the day for Eastern New Mexico as the Patriots couldn't crack the code as the Greyhounds swept UT Tyler in the doubleheader and hold a 3-0 series lead.
 
First inning runs were a staple in Friday's game for Eastern New Mexico, and they kept that same momentum in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader.
 
Nick Niebur got the start in the first contest and the Greyhounds put pressure on the Patriots defense quickly. A single and two consecutive hit by pitches loaded the bases with no outs. Niebur got the ground ball back to himself for a double play, but the throw from the catcher sailed the first baseman's glove and bounced into right field. That allowed the first run of the game to score for Eastern New Mexico. The next hitter singled into right field and drove in two more runs to run the score out to 3-0 after one half inning.
 
The Patriots were unable to respond in the second inning, and Niebur was able to settle in and allow just a walk in the second inning as he retired the side and gave it back to the offense. Kyle McShaffry singled up the middle and advanced to third after a wild pitch and a passed ball. Tommy van de Sanden flew out deep to right field, but it was good enough for a sacrifice fly and the Patriots were on the board.
 
After Lukas Polanco was hit by a pitch and stole second, Hayden Clearman singled out to right field and Polanco was waved home and called safe on the play. However, after review, the call was overturned and Polanco was declared out, holding the Patriots to just one run.
 
A single and a hit by pitch in the top of the third for Eastern New Mexico ran Niebur from the ballgame, and that brought in Brandon Petix in relief. A wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position, and a fielder's choice brought in another run.
 
Both teams traded quick innings in the bottom of the third and top of the fourth, but the Patriots put themselves in striking distance with a strong fourth inning. A single and a walk put runners on first and second, and a wild pitched moved them both into scoring position. Cade Watson chopped a ground ball to third and was able to reach on an error that subsequently scored both runners and brought the lead down to just one.
 
In the top of the fifth, the Greyhounds responded with another run and moved their lead out to two. Nick Oslovar took over for Petix to begin the inning, and gave up a double and a walk and was pulled from the game. Garrett Arredondo came in to relieve Oslovar, but a single from the Greyhounds plated a run. Arredondo responded by inducing the inning ending double play and ending the threat.
 
Down two and needing a rally, the Patriots were unable to string anything together in the fifth inning. In the sixth, the Patriots loaded the bases on two walks and a hit by pitch, but the threat was ending with a double play.
 
After Arredondo gave up the single in the fifth inning, he retired six of the next eight hitters he faced and forced the Greyhounds into two inning ending double plays. That kept the Patriots in the game, and they looked to climb back into the game in the bottom of the seventh.
 
Needing two runs to extend the game, the first two hitters went down in order. That brought in Ethan Bedgood, who singled to right field. McShaffry singled to center field and the Patriots had two runners on. Van de Sanden walked, and the Patriots had the bases loaded for Watson. However, Watson went down after a hard hit line drive and the game was over.
 
Kyle McShaffry was the only hitter for UT Tyler to have a multi-hit game, as he went 3-for-4 with two runs scored.
 
Nick Niebur got the loss on the day after going 2.1 innings and giving up three earned runs and four total runs. He gave up just three hits and one walk while striking out one.
 
GAME TWO
 
Game two for Eastern New Mexico followed nearly the exact same blueprint as the first two contests as they jumped out to the quick lead in the top half of the first inning. Harrison Lee got the start for UT Tyler and the Greyhounds jumped quickly as they used three consecutive singles to load the bases. A balk scored one run, and a wild pitch scored another, but Lee battled back and got two quick outs to limit the damage to just two.
 
 In the second inning, Eastern New Mexico threatened again, this time loading the bases with two singles and a walk, but Lee answered the call again, inducing a foul out to end the threat with no damage taken.
 
In the top of the third, the Greyhounds struck again. This time a single, a steal, and a groundout moved the runner to third with two outs. A single drove in a run, and the next hitter drove a ball into the gap in right field that bounced off of a diving Alex Bruce and brought in a run on the double. The next batter for Eastern New Mexico roped another ball into deep right field, and that turned into a triple that scored the fifth run of the game for the Greyhounds.
 
Mitchell Lee took over for Harrison Lee in the third inning, and delivered effective relief as he shut down the Greyhounds in the fourth inning. That gave the Patriots another chance to chip into the lead. A Jordan Gochenour single, Bedgood walk, and McShaffry infield single loaded the bases with no outs, but the Patriots only mustered one run off of a wild pitch as the lineup went down in order after the bases were loaded.
 
In the fifth inning, Carson Cox led off with a double to left center and Riley Lambert walked. Van de Sanden singled to center, but an infield fly and a double play ended the threat yet again for UT Tyler.
 
As the Patriots made a pair of pitching changes, Tyler Baack came on in the sixth and delivered two straight innings of perfect baseball as he faced the minimum and gave the Patriots a chance to rally in the seventh.
 
However, the Patriots bats stayed cold, and were unable to produce any runs in the final inning, and fell by a score of 5-1.
 
Tommy van de Sanden had the only multi-hit game of the second contest for the Patriots, going 2-for-4 in the game.
 
Harrison Lee got tabbed with the loss after 2.2 innings and five earned runs. Lee gave up eight hits and one walk while striking out three hitters in the contest. The Patriots bullpen consisting of Mitchell Lee, AJ Yamaguchi, and Tyler Baack pitched the final 4.1 innings and nearly went perfect. The trio allowed just one hit and two walks while striking out five hitters.
 
The Patriots will now look to take game four of the series tomorrow afternoon as they take on the Greyhounds at 1 p.m. at Irwin Field at the UT Tyler Ballpark.