Hounds notch 4-1 record in weekend event at Lubbock

LUBBOCK — Brook Leger has the Eastern New Mexico University softball team rolling a bit early this season.

The sophomore right-hander from Albuquerque tossed three complete games, including a pair of shutouts, and finished off another contest in relief as the Greyhounds went 4-1 in the Lubbock Sports College Softball Classic over the weekend.

Leger improved to 5-0 for the season in seven games, including a pair of relief appearances.

Through 36 1/3 innings, she has 66 strikeouts and 15 walks with a 2.12 earned run average. As a freshman, Leger went 3-10 with an ERA of 8.15, although she led the team for the season with 44 whiffs.

The Greyhounds (6-3) finished off their second early-season tournament with an 8-5 win over Colorado-Colorado Springs on Sunday, erasing a 3-0 deficit by sending 14 hitters to the plate in an eight-run sixth.

Leger gave up a couple of two-out runs in the top of the seventh, but got the Mountain Lions’ Sawyer Brewster on a fly ball to right to end it. For the game, Leger allowed eight hits, walked two and struck out eight.

First baseman Kianna Galindo and right fielder Mikenzey Patterson each notched two of ENMU’s nine hits. Galindo had a run-scoring single and a bases-loaded walk in the sixth.

It was ENMU’s first win over Colorado Springs in 23 years. The Mountain Lions lead the all-time series 6-4.

On Friday, Leger pitched a one-hit shutout as the Hounds blanked Fort Lewis 7-0, then worked the final 2 2/3 innings to seal a 10-6 triumph over Northwestern Oklahoma.

Leger struck out 18 of the 25 batters she faced against Fort Lewis (0-4), allowing only a third-inning single by Skyhawks shortstop Alex Tenorio. Meantime, Leger’s two-out, bases-loaded fly ball to right in the top of the third was misplayed for an error and allowed all three runners to score for a 3-0 lead.

ENMU added three more in the sixth before pinch-hitter Clarissa Marrujo delivered an RBI double in the seventh. Designated player Lisette Urquidez, catcher Mackenzie Shaw, shortstop Jokaira Paredes and third baseman Ashlee Lucero each had two of ENMU’s 11 hits.

Trailing 4-2 against Northwestern Oklahoma, the Hounds used another eight-run rally in the top of the fifth to take control, capped by right fielder Sierra Wooley’s steal of home on the back end of a double steal.

Leger gave up a two-run single to the first hitter she faced, Rangers shortstop Jaci Oakley, then retired eight of the next nine (five on strikeouts) to close it out.

ENMU managed only five hits, but took advantage of five Northwestern Oklahoma errors — accounting for seven unearned runs — as well as five walks and four hit batsmen.

Center fielder Lindsey McElroy’s two-run homer keyed a four-run first for the Alva-based Rangers (3-2).

On Saturday, the Hounds lost for the second time this season to Colorado Christian 9-1, then blanked Chadron State 9-0.

Colorado Christian catcher Kenzie Middleton belted a two-run homer in a five-run second, then ended it for the Cougars (7-2) on the eight-run rule with an RBI triple in the bottom of the fifth. ENMU, which got on the board on Wooley’s run-scoring single in the third, was limited to four hits in the contest.

Leger came back with another shutout effort against Chadron State (0-5), this one five innings on the eight-run rule. She allowed three hits, with three walks and 10 strikeouts.

Urquidez belted her third home run and second grand slam of the season for ENMU. She went 3-for-3 with six RBIs, also hitting a two-run double in a four-run second.

Urquidez, a freshman, is hitting .500 for the season (13-for-26) with 17 RBIs. Parades is also at .500 (10-for-20).

The Hounds will be in Arizona this weekend for their third and final tournament of the season, the D2 Cactus Classic at Tucson. They face California (Pa.) at noon on Friday in the first of five games over three days.