Softball | 3/19/2015 3:57:00 PM
Thursday, March 19, 2015
PORTALES, N.M. — This weekend, the Eastern New Mexico University softball team (14-10; LSC 2-6) will look to build on its strongest start since the 2009 season, against one of the top teams the Lone Star Conference has to offer. Cameron University (21-2; LSC 4-0) is the only team still undefeated in LSC play and will make its second-ever trip to Portales, N.M.
The Zias will open the series on Saturday, with a 1 p.m. MT, doubleheader against the Aggies. The teams will start the second doubleheader on Sunday at noon. The series was originally slated to open on Friday, but was moved due to weather concerns.
About the ZiasENMU AthleticsENMU SoftballENMU Softball RosterENMU Softball ScheduleENMU Softball Statistics- With 14 wins, the Zias already are just one victory shy of their 2014 total
- Eastern's .347 batting average is on pace for its top performance since the 2006 season, when the squad batted .360
- The last time ENMU topped the .300 mark was in 2009
- The lineup features eight players batting at least .302
"We are looking forward to some of our big bats to explode in a big way, after being fairly quiet the last few games," said ENMU softball coach Kristen Soukup. "This weekend will be a great time to get rolling again." With 10 wins,
Aja Secheslingloff (Fr., P, Acampo, Calif./Lodi HS) is the first Zia pitcher to reach double figures since the 2009 campaign. In 2009, Kimberly Crouse won 12 games, while Kristen Cruickshank won 11 contests. Jennifer Harrer set the team record in 2001, with 24 victories in the circle.
"Aja has been doing a tremendous job keeping batters off balance and getting us simple fly balls and ground balls," said Soukup. "She allows our defense to play with confidence. It has been fun to watch a freshman have such a great start for our program." Amanda Martinez's (Sr., CF, Williamstown, N.J./Williamstown HS/El Paso CC) currently has 33 stolen bases for ENMU over two seasons and ranks fourth on the career list. She trails Kim Paschall (40) by just seven. Current assistant coach,
Laura Thompson holds the record, with 53 stolen bases.
About the AggiesCU AthleticsCU SoftballCU Softball RosterCU Softball ScheduleCU Softball StatisticsWith 21 wins, Cameron is on pace for its second straight winning season and just 10 wins shy of
last year's total. The Aggies are on a league-leading 14-game win streak and swept Texas A&M-Kingsville, last weekend. Cameron's only two losses came to Metro State and Texas Permian Basin.
"If we want to win against a tough Cameron team, we are going to have to come out with the same attitude we had vs. Angelo- 'in it to sweep it'" said Soukup. "That confidence and mentality will keep us in the fight each game. Cameron is swinging the bat extremely well and we are going to have to so as well." Last season, Cameron finished 31-21 and took fifth in the LSC with a mark of 15-12. After a win over Midwestern State at the Lone Star Conference tournament, the Aggies dropped a 4-2 decision to West Texas A&M. At NCAA Regionals, Cameron had a win over St. Edwards, sandwiched around losses to St. Mary's and Angelo State.
Home Sweet Home The Zias have won five of their first eight home games, with a
victory over sixth-ranked Angelo State and doubleheader sweeps against University of the Southwest and New Mexico Highlands. At Zia Field, Eastern is out hitting the opposition by a .402-.321 margin and is led by Martinez's .533 batting average.
Kyra Sirag (Jr., DP/C, Garden Grove, Calif./Rancho Alamitos HS) is right behind with a .519 batting average and .704 slugging percentage. Senior pitcher
Vanessa Ramirez (Lubbock, Texas/Lubbock HS) is 2-0 with a 1.66 earned run average in home games, this season.
Inside the Series The Aggies are 11-6 overall against Eastern, but the Zias have defeated Cameron in two of the three meetings at Zia Field. This weekend marks the second time CU has played in Portales, with the only other time coming at the end of the 2012 season. Eastern swept the opening doubleheader of that series, but the Aggies thwarted a Zia rally in the finale to claim the final spot in the Lone Star Conference tournament.
Zias vs Cameron (6-11) | Date | Opponent | Result |
| Mar. 1, 2014 | @Cameron | L, 0-8 (5) |
| Feb. 28, 2014 | @Cameron (2) | L, 1-9 (5) |
| Feb. 28, 2014 | @Cameron (1) | W, 9-1 (5) |
| Apr. 27, 2013 | @Cameron | L, 3-11 (5) |
| Apr. 26, 2013 | @Cameron (2) | L, 3-4 |
| Apr. 26, 2013 | @Cameron (1) | L, 3-11 (6) |
| Apr. 20, 2012 | Cameron | L, 3-5 |
| Apr. 20, 2012 | Cameron (2) | W, 2-1 |
| Apr. 20, 2012 | Cameron (1) | W, 12-4 (6) |
| Apr. 02, 2011 | Cameron (San Angelo, Texas) | L, 2-10 (6) |
| Mar. 28, 2010 | Cameron (Durant, Okla.) | L, 4-5 |
| Feb. 07, 2010 | Cameron (San Antonio, Texas) | W, 8-4 |
| Mar. 30, 2008 | Cameron (Durant, Okla.) | L, 1-10 |
| Feb. 15, 2007 | Cameron (Phoenix, Ariz.) | L, 5-10 |
| Feb. 26, 2005 | Cameron (Irving, Texas) | W, 4-3 |
| Mar. 05, 2004 | Cameron (Irving, Texas) | L, 4-5 |
| Feb. 15, 2002 | Cameron (Irving, Texas) | W, 6-1 |
Around the ConferenceLone Star Conference WebsiteLone Star Conference SoftballLone Star Conference Softball Weekly ReleasesLone Star Conference Softball ScheduleLone Star Conference Softball StandingsLone Star Conference Softball StatisticsLone Star Conference Preseason PollWith a 4-0 LSC record, the Aggies sit atop the standings, followed by top-ranked, defending NCAA Division II champion West Texas A&M with a 7-1 record. Texas A&M-Commerce and Texas Woman's are tied for third place with 4-2 records, while Angelo State is fifth with a record of 6-4. Eastern and Midwestern State are tied for sixth place, with 2-6 records.
The Aggies are batting a LSC-leading .372, while Eastern is fourth, with a .347 batting average. Angelo State boasts the top earned run average, while Cameron is third in that category. The Aggies also have the top fielding percentage (.974), while Eastern ranks fifth (.953).
WT's Lacey Taylor leads the league with a .517 batting average, while Eastern's Martinez is third with a .452 average. The Aggies' lineup features three players in the LSC's top ten in runs batted in: Paige Daino (1
st), Tara Martini (4
th) and Lauren Renneker (10
th). Martini also leads the conference with 10 homers. Angelo State's Brandy Marlett leads the LSC with a 0.93 ERA, while Cameron's Kelsey Watson is second (1.52). ENMU's Secheslingloff is one of four pitchers in the conference with 10 or more wins.
Looking Ahead Next weekend, the Zias will visit
Texas A&M-Kingsville for a four-game Lone Star Conference series, before hosting
Southwestern Oklahoma State in a doubleheader that was postponed from earlier this week. One day later, Eastern will visit
New Mexico Highlands for a rematch from earlier in the season.
