Softball | 4/23/2015 11:44:00 AM
Thursday, April 23, 2015
PORTALES, N.M. — The Eastern New Mexico University softball team (16-30; LSC 3-21) will host its final series of the season this weekend against a red-hot Tarleton State (25-19; LSC 12-10) team. With 16 wins entering the final four contests of the season, the Zias have their highest win total since the 2010 season.
The Zias will open the series on Friday at 1 p.m. MT. Saturday's doubleheader will start at 12 p.m. and conclude the 2015 season.
About the ZiasENMU AthleticsENMU SoftballENMU Softball RosterENMU Softball ScheduleENMU Softball Statistics- With 16 wins, the Zias have surpassed their 2014 total
- Eastern's .325 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 .301
- When leading after four innings, the Zias are 10-3 (23-4 over the last two seasons)
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.
Amanda Martinez (Sr., CF, Williamstown, N.J./Williamstown HS/El Paso CC) currently has 35 stolen bases for ENMU over two seasons and ranks fourth on the career list. She trails Kim Paschall (40) by just five. Current assistant coach,
Laura Thompson holds the record, with 53 stolen bases. Two weeks ago, Martinez registered a single down the left field line in the seventh inning of the series opener against second-ranked West Texas A&M. The base hit extended her reached-base streak to 29 straight games, the second longest in team history. Since the 1999 season, the Zia have had seven reached-base streaks of at least 20 games, including the team record of 34, set by Kristina Goodman during the 2006 season. She also is eighth in triples (6) just one behind Kristina
Jacqueline Candelaria (Sr., INF, Los Lunas, N.M./Los Lunas HS) holds the team record with 26 sacrifice hits over her career. She surpassed Tracy Jordan and Dawn Murray's 21, in the series finale against Angelo State on March 7.
Elizabeth Velasquez (Sr., INF/OF, Las Cruces, N.M./Las Cruces HS) is ninth in walks (45) and just one behind Melanie Alderette. She also is fourth in total games played (202) and two behind Dawn Murray.
About the TexAnnsTSU AthleticsTSU SoftballTSU Softball RosterTSU Softball ScheduleTSU Softball Statistics The TexAnns took three of four games from Texas A&M-Kingsville last weekend and split with Angelo State, Cameron, Texas A&M-Commerce in their three previous LSC series.
Last season, Tarleton State finished with a 20-30 record and was sixth in the conference with a mark of 10-17. The TexAnns dropped a 5-4 decision to Texas Woman's in the LSC Tournament to close their season.
Home Sweet Home The Zias have won six home games this season, which included wins over nationally-ranked Angelo State and Cameron. Eastern is being out hit in those 18 games by a .398-.352 margin.
Kyra Sirag (Jr., C, Garden Grove, Calif./Rancho Alamitos HS) is hitting .424 at Zia Field with a team-high three homers, while Martinez is batting .417, with a team-high three homers.
Susannah Chandler (So., SS, Farmington, Piedra Vista HS) is also a top hitter at home, with a .414 batting average.
Inside the Series The Zias are looking to snap a six-game skid in the series against Tarleton State. Last season, the TexAnns swept a four-game series from Eastern.
The TexAnns earned a 2-1 decision in the last meeting and plated the game-winning run in the fifth, on a two-out RBI double from Taylor Wells.
Shelby Ripple drove in the lone ENMU run with a two-out double in the fourth inning.
Eastern's last win over Tarleton State came in an 8-6 decision at home on April 5, 2013. ENMU scored the first four runs of the game and held an 8-3 lead after three innings of play.
Alberta Medina drove in three runs, while Katie Ramsay earned the win with 5.1 innings of five-hit relief.
Zias vs Tarleton State (13-52)| Mar. 22, 2014 | @Tarleton State (2) | L, 1-2 |
| Mar. 22, 2014 | @Tarleton State (1) | L, 3-7 |
| Mar. 21, 2014 | @Tarleton State (2) | L, 0-8 (5) |
| Mar. 21, 2014 | @Tarleton State (1) | L, 2-10 (6) |
| Apr. 6, 2013 | Tarleton State | L, 0-6 |
| Apr. 5, 2013 | Tarleton State (2) | L, 5-11 |
| Apr. 5, 2013 | Tarleton State (1) | W, 8-6 |
| Mar. 31, 2012 | @Tarleton State | L, 5-8 |
| Mar. 30, 2012 | @Tarleton State (2) | L, 1-9 (5) |
| Mar. 30, 2012 | @Tarleton State (1) | L, 1-2 |
| Apr. 16, 2011 | Tarleton State | L, 9-10 |
| Apr. 15, 2011 | Tarleton State (2) | L, 1-6 |
| Apr. 15, 2011 | Tarleton State (1) | L, 1-5 |
| Apr. 3, 2010 | @Tarleton State | L, 4-5 |
| Apr. 2, 2010 | @Tarleton State (2) | L, 6-7 (8) |
| Apr. 2, 2010 | @Tarleton State (1) | L, 2-10 (6) |
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 21-3 record, West Texas A&M sits atop the Lone Star Conference and is followed by Texas Woman's with a record of 16-6-2. Angelo State (14-9-1) and Tarleton State (12-10) are third and fourth, while Cameron (13-11) and Texas A&M-Commerce (12-14) currently occupy the final two playoff positions.
The Lady Buffs lead the league lead in hitting, at .372, with Cameron tight behind at .354. Texas Woman's is third in hitting (.337). The Rambelles' 2.37 earned run average is tops in the LSC, while WT is right behind, at 2.41. Cameron and West Texas feature the league's top defenses, with fielding percentages of .972 and .971, respectively.
WT's lineup features three of the LSC's top four hitters.
Audrey Velasquez's (So., INF, Las Cruces, N.M./Las Cruces HS) 60 hits is tied for second in the LSC, behind only Stacey Ramirez from WT. Angelo State's Brandy Marlett leads the conference with a 1.60 earned run average, while WT's Tori Bayer is second at 1.90.
Looking Ahead Saturday's contest against the TexAnns is the senior game and marks the conclusion of the 19th regular season of play for the Zias.
