Hounds bounce back to gain split with MSU

WICHITA FALLS, Texas – After dropping a heartbreaker in the opener, the Eastern New Mexico University softball team came back for a 7-3 win over Midwestern State and a split of Thursday’s Lone Star Conference doubleheader.

MSU (7-30, 6-22 LSC) took the lidflifter 6-5 in 11 innings despite a stellar performance out of the bullpen by Greyhounds freshman right-hander Marissa Rodriguez, who threw 10 1/3 innings and allowed just two runs. The teams were to finish the series with a single tilt on Friday.

Despite the loss, the Hounds (21-23, 13-19) actually gained a bit of ground in the LSC, moving within one-half game of 10th-place Texas A&M International (16-24, 12-17), which lost twice on Thursday at Cameron. The top 10 teams make the conference tournament in early May.

In the opener, senior right fielder Mikenzey Patterson of Roswell became the ninth ENMU softball player to record a five-hit game, going 5-for-6. She added a pair of knocks in the nightcap and finished the day 7-for-9.

Patterson improved her average to .404, fourth in the LSC. She also leads the league in triples with four, and after stealing two bases on Thursday stands fifth with 20 bags.

In the opener, Hounds ace Brook Leger had a nightmarish start, throwing only 12 strikes in 35 pitches with five walks. She left with four runs in, the bases loaded and one out for Rodriguez, who prevented further damage with a pair of groundouts, the first a force play at home.

Rodriguez then blanked the Mustangs until two outs in the bottom of the ninth (second extra inning) before designated hitter Ashley Monroe doubled home Madison Mann to extend the match. The Hounds had taken a 5-4 lead in the top half on a two-out solo homer by junior catcher Alondra Vasquez, her sixth of the campaign.

ENMU advanced a runner to second base in both the 10th and 11th innings, but failed to score. In the bottom of the 11th, junior Grace Martinez reached on an infield single, stole second, went to third on a throwing error and, with two outs, waltzed home on a single to center by Mann.

Down 4-3 after one inning, the Hounds pulled even in the sixth on a bases-loaded RBI fielder’s choice grounder by first baseman Kianna Galindo.

“The first game was a marathon,” ENMU coach Amanda Fefel said. “Marissa threw phenomenal, but it didn’t go our way.

“I’m proud how the team refocused for another fight in Game 2. We had numerous hitters come (up) clutch with runners in scoring position to get the job done.”

Rodriguez allowed eight hits with two walks and eight strikeouts, throwing 145 pitchers. MSU starter Christine Billmeier pitched creditably before leaving in the ninth for junior righty Kennedy Cameron (3-8), who allowed one hit and struck out four over the final 2 1/3 frames.

In Game 2, junior right-hander Emma Southerland (6-4) scattered 10 singles, but walked just two and struck out four. MSU took a 2-0 lead against her in the first before she limited the Mustangs to just one tally the rest of the way.

Down 2-1, Patterson hit an RBI triple with one out in the fourth, then scored on a wild pitch. Senior Azalea Martinez followed with a double and eventually scored on a throwing error to make it 4-2.

Galindo and Southerland delivered back-to-back, run-scoring singles in the sixth, and an error – one of four in the game for MSU – allowed the final run in the seventh.

In addition to Patterson, Vasquez and Southerland had a pair of hits for ENMU, which also managed 10 knocks in the contest.

The Hounds return to action this week with a key three-game set against Texas Woman’s (20-21, 12-18) at Greyhound Field, with a 2 p.m. doubleheader on Tuesday and a noon single tilt on Wednesday. They then visit Oklahoma Christian for three games beginning on Saturday.