Zias' bid for LSC tourney berth falls short

The Eastern New Mexico University softball team couldn't quite climb the final hill.

Buried in last place in the Lone Star Conference less than three weeks ago, the Zias had a chance to earn the program's first LSC tournament berth in 10 years after a doubleheader sweep of Cameron on Friday at Zia Softball Field.

JOSHUA LUCERO: CMI correspondent

ENMU senior first baseman Kate Medrano takes the throw from catcher Aurelia Sandoval to complete a pitcher-to-home to first double play against Cameron's Amy Garcia to escape a bases-loaded jam in the sixth inning of Saturday's Lone Star Conference game against Cameron at Zia Softball Field. The Aggies edged the Zias 5-3 to claim a spot in next week's LSC tournament in Denton, Texas.

The Aggies returned the favor, though, winning Saturday's series finale 5-3 to claim the No. 8 seed in next week's eight-team tournament.

Third baseman Drew Wright and second baseman Tiffany Freeman each had three hits while junior right-hander Cheyenne Brown (8-15) worked 4 2/3 innings in relief for Cameron (17-31, 8-19 LSC). The Aggies take on top-seeded Angelo State in the first round at Denton, Texas.

JOSHUA LUCERO: CMI correspondent

ENMU freshman Aurelia Sandoval belts a fifth-inning home run in Saturday's Lone Star Conference game against Cameron at Zia Softball Field.

Third-year ENMU coach Lauren Sigwing said the game pretty much had everything — except for, of course, the desired outcome. The Zias (15-34, 7-20) had won eight of 13 overall and seven of their last nine at home to put themselves in position to qualify for the tourney.

"They're a good ballclub," Sigwing said of the Aggies. "They've got a lot of good hitters and a lot of upperclassmen who've been through it before."

ENMU took a 1-0 lead on a Savannah Chavez sacrifice fly in the second, but first baseman Micah Foutch homered leading off a two-run third and Cameron never relinquished the lead, adding two in the fifth and one in the sixth.

"Last night we talked about, 'How are we going to respond (to ENMU's sweep)?'" Aggies coach Beth Watson said. "We just got a few key hits at the right time. It seems like that's what Eastern did yesterday."

Watson admitted she had a short leash on starter Kelsy Hebert, pulling her after singles by Cassie Bean and Lizzy Velasquez in the bottom of the third. Brown got the final two outs, then retired the side in order in the fourth before surrendering freshman catcher Aurelia Sandoval's fifth home run of the season, an opposite-field shot to right, leading off the fifth.

Wright doubled home a run in the sixth. The Zias got that back on pinch-hitter Amanda Lale's two-out infield RBI single in the bottom half, but Velasquez singled with two out in the seventh and was thrown out trying to reach third on Katie Ramsay's single to center to end it.

Clearly disappointed not to make the conference tourney, the Zias no doubt would have gladly taken the opportunity they had when they were in last place by three games at 1-14 in early April.

"I'm not disappointed with our team or how we played today," Sigwing said. "We put ourselves in position to win.

"We've definitely improved this season. Going through series like this and games like this gives us a ton of experience, and it's only going to make us stronger."

Linescore

Lone Star Conference

Cameron 5, ENMU 3

Cameron 002 021 0 — 5 12 1

ENMU 010 011 0 — 3 9 0

Kelsy Hebert, Cheyenne Brown (3) and Sonia Foutch; Amy Smith, Katie Ramsay (6) and Aurelia Sandoval. W — Brown (8-15). L — Smith (9-19). DP — Eastern New Mexico 1. LOB — Cameron 6, Eastern New Mexico 6. 2B — Cameron: Drew Wright 2, Amanda Karth, Tiffany Freeman. Eastern New Mexico: Josette Aguirre. HR — Cameron: Micah Foutch (2). Eastern New Mexico: Sandoval (5). T — 1:42. A — 73.