Saturday, March 25, 2017

PORTALES, NM — For the second straight game, the Eastern New Mexico University softball team (16-24; LSC 9-9) overcame a first-inning three-run homer, and exploded past University of Texas of the Permian Basin (5-28; LSC 2-13). The Hounds pounded out five extra-base hits in a six-run fourth inning, en-route to a 13-4 victory, Saturday at Greyhound Field. Junior first baseman Erikka Burke homered twice and drove in three runs, while Kaylee Rogers notched her 12^th win of the season.

"They're (UTPB) a good hitting team as we said yesterday," said Head Coach Katie Welborn, who notched her 30^th win as Greyhound coach. "I'm proud of the resilience our team showed."

Rogers tossed 17.2 of the weekend's 18 innings and posted a 3-0 record with eight strikeouts and just one walk. On Sunday, Burke hammered her 11^th and 12^th round-trippers of the season and ranks third in single-season homers at ENMU. Tina Whitt is second with 13, while Kristen Cruickshank holds the record with 14. The weekend marked the second time this season ENMU swept a Lone Star Conference series, after taking three games at Western New Mexico.

The Falcons got off to a quick start and sent eight batters to the plate in the top of the first inning and took the lead on Cindy Juarez's three-run blast. The Hounds struck back in the second, when Chandler drove her sixth homer to left field to plate a pair of ENMU runs.

"I wasn't very worried about the beginning, because I knew we were going to hit," Rogers said. "When we got our runs back I felt a lot better."

Eastern led off the bottom of the fourth inning with consecutive doubles from Courtney Vigil, Samantha Glover, and Katie Ripple, to chase starter Sloan Springfield from the circle after taking a 4-3 lead. Erikka Burke greeted relief pitcher Randi May with a two-run homer to left field to extend the ENMU lead. After May retired the next two batters, Cameron Conrad singled, before she scored on an Ashley Lopez triple down the left field line.

A lead off bunt single in the top of the fifth led to the final Falcon run of the game. Burke led off the bottom of the sixth with her second homer of the game, which concluded on Audrey Velasquez's pinch-hit grand slam.

ENMU pounded out a series-high 16 hits, with Burke and Kylee Keller both hitting three-for-four. Rogers scattered 11 hits and struck out two batters.

The Eastern New Mexico University softball team will return to action on Friday, for a doubleheader at Texas A&M-Commerce.