Saturday, March 07, 2015

PORTALES, N.M. — Aja Secheslingloff (Fr., P, Acampo, Calif./Lodi HS) and Vanessa Ramirez (Sr., P, Lubbock, Texas/Lubbock HS) combined to limit sixth-ranked Angelo State (18-2; LSC 5-1) to eight hits, as the Eastern New Mexico University softball team (13-7; LSC 1-3) claimed a 5-2 win in the opening game of Saturday's Lone Star Conference doubleheader at Zia Field. The sixth-ranked Rambelles bounced back to post a 12-3 win in the five-inning nightcap.
 
The win snapped a six-game skid in the series, dating back to an 8-1 win in San Angelo, Texas, on March 16, 2013. It also was ENMU's first home win over the Rambelles since an 8-5 win on April 22, 2006 and snapped a 15 losing streak to Angelo State at Zia Field.
 
The Eastern New Mexico University softball team will return to action, next weekend for a four-game LSC series at Texas A&M-Commerce. The teams will open on Friday, with a doubleheader set to start at 4 p.m. MT.
 
Game 1
Angelo State looked to get off a strong start in the opener, as Madison Greenwell led off with a double and Micherie Koria drew a walk. After Secheslingloff struck out Kenedy Urbany, the duo executed a double steal, to put two runners in scoring position with just one out. After another strikeout and a fly ball, the Zias escaped the jam. Secheslingloff retired the first two batters in the Rambelle second inning, but a walk followed by a pair of singles set ASU up for a two-out rally. Although Angelo State managed to take the lead on a bases-loaded walk, Eastern escaped the jam with a fly ball.
 
Eastern appeared to be set for a big inning, when Kyra Sirag (Jr., DP, Garden Grove, Calif./Rancho Alamitos HS) and Susannah Chandler (So., SS, Farmington, N.M./Piedra Vista HS) led off with back to back singles and Morgan Green (Jr., 3B, Carmichael, Calif./Del Campo HS/Sacramento City College) drew a walk to load the bases. Rambelle shortstop responded with a diving catch of a line drive from Elizabeth Velasquez (Sr., LF, Las Cruces, N.M./Las Cruces HS) and recovered to double Green off of first base. After Savannah Chavez (Sr., RF, Albuquerque, N.M./Albuquerque HS) drew a walk to reload the bases, Amanda Martinez (Sr., CF, Williamstown, N.J./Williamstown HS/El Paso CC) cracked a RBI single, which bounded off ASU third baseman Lanie Robinson's glove and into foul territory. After Martinez reached over the fence to take away a homerun from Meagan Granado in the top of the third, the Zias took a 2-1 lead they would not relinquish on a Chandler sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning.
 
Eastern had first and second base with one out and nearly scored on a ground ball of the bat of Jaqueline Candelaria (Sr., 2B, Los Lunas, N.M./Los Lunas HS), but the Rambelles recovered from an overthrow at third base and stopped Chavez at the plate for the third out. Angelo State head coach Travis Scott consulted with the umpires for an interference call for the third out, but Eastern was left with runners at second and third base. Audrey Velasquez (So., 1B, Las Cruces, N.M./Las Cruces HS) followed with a three-run blast, to stake ENMU to a 5-1 lead. Granado homered in the fifth inning and Angelo State managed to bring the game-tying run into the on-deck circle in the sixth inning, with one out. Ramirez, who relieved Secheslingloff an inning earlier, induced a ground ball off the bat of Tina Cisneros, which was turned into a double play from Candelaria to end the threat.
 
The Zias held a 12-8 edge in total hits and stranded eight runners, while the Rambelles left 12 on base. Secheslingloff scattered six hits over 4.1 innings to earn her ninth win of the season, while Ramirez shut the Rambelles out for 2.2 innings for her second save. After being limited to one single in yesterday's two games, Sirag wielded the big bat for ENMU with a three-for-four performance with a double. Martinez added three infield singles, while Aurelia Sandoval (Sr., C, Farmington, N.M./Piedra Vista HS) and Chavez had two hits each. Kenedy Urbany (9-1) suffered her first loss of the season for ASU and allowed four earned runs on 12 hits over 4.1 innings. Greenwell batted four-four-four, while Koria drew four walks
 
Game 2
Angelo State sent 10 batters to the plate in the top of the first inning and seized a 5-0 lead. Martinez managed to score on a wild pitch in the bottom of the frame, but the Rambelles added a sixth run in the second inning. Eastern managed to pull within 6-3 on RBI singles from Elizabeth Velasquez (Sr., LF, Las Cruces, N.M./Las Cruces HS) and Martinez in the fourth inning, but ASU exploded for six runs in the fifth, and the game was ended due to the eight-run rule.
 
Martinez batted three-for-three, while Chandler hit two-for-three. Brandy Marlett scattered eight hits over five innings to earn the win, while Darian Dunn hit three-for-four with two runs score, three RBIs and a homer.
 
Notes
ENMU has hit five homeruns it its last five games and has 11 for the season after hitting 14 last year
 
Martinez has the most multiple-hit games this season with 10. Sirag and Audrey Velasquez are tied for second with eight each
 
Chandler has hit safely in nine straight games, while Martinez is on an eight-game hit streak
 
Audrey Velasquez has reached base in 16 straight games, Martinez in 14