OKLAHOMA CITY (March 27, 2022) – Oklahoma Christian pitcher
Isaiah Alvarenga dominated Eastern New Mexico batters,
Grant Lake provided what little offense OC needed as a result and the Eagles blanked the Greyhounds 2-0 on a sunny Sunday afternoon at Dobson Field.
Alvarenga threw his first complete game for OC, allowing only four hits and striking out 11, matching the fourth-highest single-game total this season by a Lone Star Conference pitcher. Lake's two-run home run in the third inning accounted for all of the game's scoring as OC (11-21, 11-21 LSC) won a home series for the first time this season.
Eastern New Mexico (11-17, 10-16) advanced only one runner as far as third base against Alvarenga, a sophomore right-hander from Grapevine, Texas, who fanned five straight batters during a stretch in which he retired 12 straight Greyhounds. Only one Eastern New Mexico player, Dax Edmonds, had more than one hit, finishing 2 for 4. Alvarenga (3-3) lowered his season ERA from 6.68 to 5.18.
The Greyhounds put two runners on base in the first inning, but a double-play ground ball by Spencer Roach ended the threat. In the second inning, Sammy Williamson singled, stole second base and took third on a two-out wild pitch, but Alvarenga subsequently retired Braeton Matthews on a fly ball.
In the ninth inning, Cooper Hamilton led off with a single for the Greyhounds. Roach followed with a hard-hit bouncer up the middle that Alvarenga speared before firing to Lake, the shortstop, to start another double play. Alvarenga then struck out Williamson to end the game.
Eastern New Mexico starter Dalton Thatcher (2-3) also pitched well, allowing only five hits in seven innings. But with one out in the third inning, OC's
Cole Lee bunted and reached base when first baseman Kian Johnston muffed a throw by Thatcher. Lake, the next batter, sent Thatcher's offering over the left-field wall.
OC didn't otherwise advance a runner past second base the rest of the game, but the way Alvarenga was pitching, that didn't matter.
The Eagles will play their first nonconference game of the season on Tuesday at Southeastern Oklahoma State before starting a four-game LSC series at in-state rival Cameron on Friday.
