Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
ENMU senior shortstop Valeria Contreras lunges in an unsuccessful attempt to tag out St. Edward's junior Megan Morris at second base during the first game of Saturday's Lone Star Conference softball twin bill at Greyhound Softball Field. The Greyhounds swept the three-game series from the Hilltoppers, winning Sunday's finale 15-5.
Eastern New Mexico University's softball team kept its hot start going over the weekend, capping a three-game Lone Star Conference series sweep of St. Edward's with a 15-5 drubbing of the Hilltoppers at Greyhound Softball Field.
ENMU, playing its first home games, came into the weekend just 4-18 all-time against the Hilltoppers, but now sport a 4-2 record against them in their own park after their first sweep of St. Ed's.
ENMU (13-4, 6-3 LSC) pounded out 12 hits in Sunday's finale, shortened to 4 ½ innings by the eight-run rule. Senior first baseman Alondra Vasquez wrapped up a big week, going 3-for-4 with a school record-tying three doubles and five RBIs en route to LSC player of the week honors on offense.
She became the first ENMU player to win that award since Kira Sirag did it in March 2015, going 11-for-21 over six games with three home runs and 12 RBIs. On Sunday, she had run-scoring doubles in the first and third innings and a three-run double to key a seven-run second which erased a 2-1 deficit.
Meantime, junior catcher Samantha Gutierrez also went 3-for-4 and knocked in six runs with two homers and an RBI single. Senior right fielder Mikenzey Patterson was 2-for-3 with a walk and four runs scored.
Sophomore right-hander Marissa Rodriguez (4-2) picked up the win with 2 1/3 innings of one-hit relief. Catcher Jerzie Pelham and shortstop Megan Morris each had two hits for the Hilltoppers (4-15, 2-7), with Pelham scoring twice and Morris knocking in three runs with a pair of doubles.
ENMU had another busy week on tap, hosting Lubbock Christian in a three-game midweek series before facing Cameron in a three-game set starting on Saturday at Lawton, Okla.
ENMU 8-6, St. Edward's 0-1 (Saturday) – Stout pitching by sophomore right-hander Marissa Rodriguez in the opener and junior right-hander Emma Southerland in Game 2 carried the Hounds. They also used a big inning in each contest.
In the first game, Rodriguez helped her own cause with a two-run double during a seven-run, five-hit third inning against St. Ed's sophomore Kylen Padgett, snapping a scoreless tie. Senior first baseman Taighen Whitzel added her fifth home run of the season leading off the fourth to cap the scoring.
The game ended in 4 ½ innings on the eight-run rule. Rodriguez (3-2) allowed only three singles, walking none and striking out two while facing just three batters over the minimum.
Senior right fielder Mikenzey Patterson finished 2-for-3, hitting a single and a bases-loaded triple in the third, while Whitzel went 2-for-2 and scored twice. Five of ENMU's nine hits went for extra bases.
In the nightcap, Whitzel belted a two-run double to highlight a five-run, six-hit fourth that erased a 1-0 Hilltoppers lead. ENMU added its final run in the sixth on a leadoff home run by senior right fielder Aylene Lucero, her second of the campaign.
Whitzel, Lucero and Southerland each collected two of ENMU's 10 hits. Southerland (5-1) allowed eight hits with two walks and four strikeouts over her seven innings.
ENMU is hosting Lubbock Christian for a three-game midweek series which began with a single tilt on Tuesday and ends with a 1 p.m. doubleheader today. The Hounds travel to Lawton, Okla., for a three-game league series against Cameron, starting with a noon (MST) twin bill on Saturday.
