Hounds beat Cowgirls twice for split

ALBUQUERQUE — Lisette Urquidez weilded a pretty big bat in her Eastern New Mexico University softball debut.

The freshman utility player from Tucson, Ariz. went 5-for-11 with two home runs, including a grand slam, and nine runs batted in to help the Greyhounds earn a 2-2 split over the weekend in the season-opening South Central Region Crossover event at the Albuquerque Regional Sports Complex.

Facing Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference competition, the Hounds posted a 9-3 win on Saturday and a 9-1, run-rule victory on Sunday over New Mexico Highlands, while losing to Adams State 13-0 on Saturday and Colorado Christian 13-9 on Sunday.

ENMU returns to action this weekend in the Lubbock Sports College Softball Classic, playing five games in three days. They open against another RMAC foe, Fort Lewis, in the first of two Friday tilts at 1 p.m.

ENMU 9, Highlands 3 (Saturday) — Sophomore Kianna Galindo’s two-run homer highlighted an eight-run fourth for the Hounds. Sophomore right-hander Brook Leger escaped a bases-loaded jam in the first and went the distance in the circle, scattering seven Cowgirls hits while walking three and striking out 15.

Nine Hounds combined for 10 hits in the contest, led by Urquidez with 2-for-3.

Highlands finished 2-2 for the weekend, edging Texas-Permian Basin and Western New Mexico in its other two matchups.

Adams State 13, ENMU 0 (Saturday) — The Grizzlies (2-2) chased two ENMU pitchers in a 12-run first, getting two-run homers from designated player Belinda Vargas and first baseman Breck Smith and a three-run double from shortstop Jade Garbisco. Meantime, Taylor Sandoval (1-0) and Tayler Duncan combined to scatter five singles despite not recording a strikeout in a game called after 4 1/2 innings due to the eight-run rule.

Colorado Christian 13, ENMU 9 (Sunday) — Urquidez staked the Hounds to a 4-0 lead with a first-inning slam, but the Cougars (4-0) rebounded with five in the bottom half and three more in the second.

The Hounds pulled even with a four-run fourth, keyed by a two-run, ground-rule double by sophomore outfielder Azalea Martinez. Colorado Christian went back in front with a three-run fourth and held on late.

ENMU 9, Highlands 1 (Sunday) — Leger (2-0) came back to toss a five-inning one-hitter against the Cowgirls, allowing only a third-inning unearned run. She walked four and struck out seven.

Meantime, Urquidez broke a 1-1 tie with a one-out, three-run homer to left in the bottom of the third. The Hounds added three in the fourth, including a two-run double by freshman right fielder Sierra Wooley, and ended it with two in the fifth as Leger hit an RBI triple and came home on freshman Clarissa Marrujo’s second sacrifice fly of the contest.