UAFS completes sweep of Hounds

FORT SMITH, Ark. — Eastern New Mexico University’s bid to get the salvage game of a Lone Star Conference weekend series against Arkansas-Fort Smith came up short on Saturday as the Lions pulled away late to claim an 8-2 victory.

UAFS, which swept a doubleheader from the Greyhounds on Friday, scored five runs over the seventh and eighth frames to all but put the contest out of reach.

ENMU (5-13, 4-13 LSC) grabbed a 2-1 lead in the third when third baseman Trevor Moses hit an RBI single and first baseman Kian Johnston delivered a sacrifice fly, but Fort Smith tallied single runs in the third and fourth to chase Hounds starter Dalton Thatcher (1-2) and move in front for good.

That score held until the Lions (7-10, 6-8) put together a three-run seventh. In the eighth, center fielder Cash Balentine singled home a run before third baseman Brooks Sunny knocked in the final tally with a sac fly.

Senior right-hander Foster Pace (1-1) went five innings for the win. Freshman right-hander Lukas Petross picked up a four-inning save, his first of the year, allowing just two hits while striking out five.

Thatcher, the first of four ENMU hurlers, worked 3 2/3 innings, giving up seven hits and three runs (two earned). UAFS outhit ENMU 11-8, with Moses and left fielder Braeton Matthews both finishing 2-for-4 for the Hounds.

ENMU continues its all-road schedule this weekend with three games at Oklahoma Christian, beginning with a noon (MDT) twin bill on Friday.

ENMU forfeits softball finale to Dustdevils — The Greyhounds dropped a 14-3 non-league decision to Texas A&M International on Saturday in Laredo, Texas, then lost 11-0 in Sunday’s LSC twin bill opener before forfeiting the second game in the bottom of the fourth trailing 8-1.

ENMU said Monday the forfeit was the result of injuries sustained by the team during the series. The nightcap officially reverts to a 7-0 final.

In Sunday’s first tilt, Dustdevils sophomore right-hander Erika Cortez (7-4) threw the first perfect game in program history, retiring all 15 ENMU hitters over five innings. International (14-8, 8-4 LSC) blew the game open with a six-run fourth capped by junior Briana Arredondo’s grand slam, her second home run of the game, third of the weekend and seventh of the season.

In addition to the perfect game, Cortez went 2-for-3 at the plate with a home run.

Arredondo added another round-tripper in the forfeited second contest. ENMU’s only run came in the third when the Dustdevils elected to throw out a runner at second and allow a run to score from third on an attempted double steal.

In Saturday’s tilt, International built a 14-0 lead through four innings before the Hounds (0-13, 0-12) came back with a three-run fifth. The Dustdevils belted three homers and had a total of 12 hits in that one.

ENMU is scheduled to host LSC doubleheaders this weekend at Greyhound Softball Field against St. Mary’s at 3 p.m. on Friday and against St. Edward’s at 11 a.m. on Sunday.

Track squads open season — In their first outing in more than a year, ENMU’s track squads competed in West Texas A&M’s Spring Break Classic on Friday at Canyon. Women’s performances were highlighted by Portales sophomore Jessica Campbell, who was first in high jump (a program-record 5 feet, 5 inches) and second in javelin (119-1 1/2); sophomore Tamia Smith, second in shot put (a program-record 41-7 3/4) and sixth in discus (108-0), junior Neri Gertraide, second in the 5,000 (18 minutes, 41.93 seconds), and senior Torisha LaForce, third in the 400 (1:09.80).

Also, senior Malethado Seems placed fourth in the 800 (2:20.66), freshman Madison Allcorn was fourth in triple jump (33-9 1/4), freshman Jaliyah Denny took sixth in the 200 (25.75) and senior Ocean Paul and sophomore Paige Graham finished sixth and seventh, respectively in pole vault (both at 9-4 1/4).

The 1,600 relay team of LaForce, Malethado Seema, junior Lethabo Seema and freshman Savannah Romero earned fifth place with a clocking of 4:11.37.

The top finish for the ENMU men came from freshman Dan Hurren, who was eighth in the 800 with a time of 1:57.53.

ENMU’s next outing is on Friday at when it travels to Lubbock for The Open.