Zias alive for league tourney

Eastern New Mexico University's Kate Medrano was one of the Zias' top hitters in 2011, hitting .323 with five home runs.

While she's had a tough time this spring, the senior put together a big day on Friday at Zia Softball Field to help ENMU stay in the hunt for a Lone Star Conference tournament berth.

Batting .129 for the season (4-for-31) with four RBIs coming in, Medrano drove in six runs in the opener with a first-inning grand slam and a two-run single in a 12-4 win over Cameron, then hit a game-tying homer in the fourth inning of the nightcap as the Zias won 2-1 on a two-out RBI single by freshman shortstop Lizzy Velasquez in the bottom of the seventh.

ENMU (15-33, 7-19 LSC) and Cameron (16-31, 7-19) meet at noon today to complete the regular season, with the winner taking the final spot in next week's eight-team tournament at Denton, Texas. The Zias, who exceeded their win total from last year (13-41), have won eight of their last 13 games, including seven of nine at home after an 0-10 start.

Medrano's home runs give her three for the season after she hit one last weekend at Abilene Christian.

Freshman Katie Ramsay (3-13) pitched a five-hitter to win Game 2. In the opener, she needed three pitches in relief of starter Amy Smith (9-18) to escape a bases-loaded, two-out jam in the sixth and preserve a 5-4 lead, and she earned her third save when the Zias erupted for seven in the bottom half to end it on the eight-run rule.

Smith (9-18) carried a 5-0 lead into the fifth inning, courtesy of Medrano's slam to center field and a two-out, fourth-inning RBI single by freshman Savannah Chavez. She gave up two unearned runs in the fifth, then left in the sixth when five consecutive Cameron hitters reached base after the first two were retired.

The Zias collected seven hits in the sixth — including a pair of run-scoring singles by Chavez — and took advantage of an Aggies error to end it against Carrie Dilkes (5-7), with four of the runs unearned.

The Aggies struck in the third inning of Game 2 on a leadoff walk, a sacrifice, an infield out and catcher Sonia Foutch's RBI single. Medrano tied it leading off the fourth, launching Kelsy Hebert's 3-1 pitch over the center field wall.

In the seventh, Cheyenne Brown (7-15) issued a one-out walk to Aurelia Sandoval. After Cassie Beene's fielder's choice grounder, Melanie Alderette drew a walk after falling behind 0-2 and fouling off three pitches before Velasquez, who went 5-for-8 in the twin bill, sent a 1-1 pitch up the middle to score Beene from second.