Thursday, March 26, 2015
PORTALES, N.M. — This weekend, the Eastern New Mexico University softball team (15-13; LSC 3-9) will look to build last weekend's win over Cameron, when it faces Texas A&M-Kingsville and Southwestern Oklahoma State. The Zias will travel to play the Javelinas (9-14; LSC 1-7) in a four-game Lone Star Conference series and return home for a doubleheader against the Bulldogs (5-19).
"We will hopefully gain some momentum from the Cameron win, and efficiently score the runners we are getting on base," said head coach
Kristen Soukup.
The Zias will open the Texas A&M-Kingsville series on Friday, with a 4 p.m. MT, doubleheader. The teams will start the second doubleheader on Saturday at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Eastern will host a doubleheader against former LSC rival, Southwestern Oklahoma State at 2 p.m.
About the ZiasENMU AthleticsENMU SoftballENMU Softball RosterENMU Softball ScheduleENMU Softball Statistics- With 15 wins, the Zias have matched their 2014 total
- Eastern's .344 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 seven players batting at least .311
Last week, the Zias claimed a win from Cameron, to make
Kristen Soukup the fifth coach in team history to reach the 30-win mark. Eastern currently has three Lone Star Conference wins and is tied in the win column with Tarleton State and Midwestern State.
With 11 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. She is tied for eighth on the single-season list and two from moving into a tie for 10th on the career list.
Jacqueline Candelaria is third in career sacrifice bunts (20) at ENMU and just one from tying Tracy Jordan and Dawn Murray for the team record.
Amanda Martinez's (Sr., CF, Williamstown, N.J./Williamstown HS/El Paso CC) 33 stolen bases rank fourth in team history and are just seven away from Kim Paschall's 40 for third place.
Last season, the Zias posted a 15-40 record with a 3-24 mark in Lone Star Conference play.
About the JavelinasTAMUK AthleticsTAMUK SoftballTAMUK Softball RosterTAMUK Softball ScheduleTAMUK Softball StatisticsThe Javelinas swept a doubleheader against Houston-Victoria this week, to snap a six-game skid. Texas A&M-Kingsville earned a LSC win against Texas A&M-Commerce.
"We will have to come out firing on all cylinders to win this series," said Soukup. "Kingsville has some big wins this season and is getting hot as of late. We will be looking for some quiet bats to explode in a big way, at important times and join Audrey and Susie who are swing extremely well."
Last season, Texas A&M-Kingsville posted a 14-42 record and finished seventh in the LSC with a 5-23 record.
About the BulldogsSWOSU AthleticsSWOSU SoftballSWOSU Softball RosterSWOSU Softball ScheduleSWOSU Softball Statistics The Bulldogs have a record of 5-19 and are 1-11 in Great American Conference play. Prior to visiting ENMU, Southwestern Oklahoma State with travel to Arkansas Tech.
Last season, SWOSU posted a record of 13-39 with a 9-31 record in GAC play.
Inside the Series The Javelinas are 22-45 against Eastern, but the Zias have claimed victory in eight of the last 11 meetings. The 2013 season marked the first time ENMU has won a series against Texas A&M-Kingsville on the road. The teams split a four-game series in Portales, to close the 2014 season.
Zias vs Texas A&M-Kingsville (22-45) | Date | Opponent | Result |
| Apr. 26, 2014 | Texas A&M-Kingsville (2) | W, 9-8 (9) |
| Apr. 26, 2014 | Texas A&M-Kingsville (1) | L, 3-6 |
| Apr. 25, 2014 | Texas A&M-Kingsville (2) | L, 3-9 |
| Apr. 25, 2014 | Texas A&M-Kingsville (1) | W, 9-1 (6) |
| Apr. 13, 2013 | @Texas A&M-Kingsville | W, 6-0 |
| Apr. 12, 2013 | @Texas A&M-Kingsville (2) | L, 4-7 |
| Apr. 12, 2013 | @Texas A&M-Kingsville (1) | W, 2-0 |
| Apr. 6, 2012 | Texas A&M-Kingsville (2) | W, 7-6 |
| Apr. 6, 2012 | Texas A&M-Kingsville (1) | W, 5-3 |
| Apr. 5, 2012 | Texas A&M-Kingsville | W, 5-0 |
| Mar. 25, 2011 | Texas A&M-Kingsville | W, 8-3 |
| Mar. 23, 2011 | Texas A&M-Kingsville (2) | L, 5-22 (5) |
| Mar. 23, 2011 | Texas A&M-Kingsville (1) | L, 3-10 |
| Feb. 6, 2011 | vs TAMU-Kingsville (San Antonio) | L, 4-6 |
| Mar. 13, 2010 | @Texas A&M-Kingsville | L, 5-13 (6) |
| Mar. 12, 2010 | @Texas A&M-Kingsville (2) | L, 2-3 |
| Mar. 12, 2010 | @Texas A&M-Kingsville (1) | L, 0-3 |
| Mar. 7, 2009 | Texas A&M-Kingsville | L, 2-4 |
| Mar. 6, 2009 | Texas A&M-Kingsville (2) | W, 10-0 (5) |
| Mar. 6, 2009 | Texas A&M-Kingsville (1) | L, 8-9 |
The Bulldogs have won the last two meetings, but Eastern has emerged victorious in four of the last six contests between the teams. Early in the season, Southwestern Oklahoma snapped a 2-all tie with three runs in the fifth inning and picked up a 6-2 win.
Amanda Martinez batted two-for-three and scored twice. The game marked the first non-neutral site contest between the teams. Today will be the first home games for Eastern New Mexico University against SWOSU.
| Date | Opponent | Result | |
| Feb. 7, 2015 | @SW Oklahoma State | L, 2-6 | |
| Apr. 1, 2011 | SW Oklahoma State (San Angelo, Texas) | L, 2-4 | |
| Mar. 26, 2010 | SW Oklahoma State (Durant, Okla.) | W, 7-5 | |
| Mar. 28, 2008 | SW Oklahoma State (Durant, Okla.) | W, 5-2 | |
| Feb. 23, 2007 | SW Oklahoma State (Amarillo, Texas) | W, 5-3 | |
| Feb. 25, 2005 | SW Oklahoma State (Irving, Texas) | W, 2-1 | |
| Feb. 15, 2003 | SW Oklahoma State (Irving, Texas) | L, 1-6 | |
| Apr. 26, 2002 | SW Oklahoma State (Irving, Texas) | L, 0-6 | |
| Feb. 15, 2002 | SW Oklahoma State (Irving, Texas) | W, 10-0 | |
| Mar. 8, 1997 | SW Oklahoma State (Lawton, Okla.) | L, 7-9 | |
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 Poll With a 7-1 LSC record, Cameron sits atop the standings, followed by second-ranked, defending NCAA Division II champion West Texas A&M with a 10-2 record. Sixth-ranked Angelo State is third with a mark of 7-4-1, while Texas Woman's is close behind at 4-3-1. Tarleton State, Eastern New Mexico University and Midwestern State all have three LSC victories.
Cameron and WT lead the league with betting averages of .370 and .353, respectively. Eastern is fourth in the category and is batting .344 (tied with Angelo State). The Rambelles lead the LSC with a 1.92 earned run average, followed by West Texas A&M and Cameron.
Texas Woman's Nicole Nordie is the top hitter in the league, while ENMU's Martinez is seventh. Cameron boasts the conference's two RBI leaders and the three top homerun hitters. Tarleton State's Hayley Freyman's 13 wins leads the LSC, while Secheslingloff is one of just six pitchers in the league with double-digit wins.
Looking Ahead The Zias will visit New Mexico Highlands on Wednesday, before hosting Lubbock Christian and West Texas A&M.
