Sunday, February 14, 2016
CANYON, TEXAS — The early portion of Sunday's softball contest between the Eastern New Mexico University softball team (3-3) and Chadron State (5-5-1) saw the teams combine for 14 runs over the first three innings. The Eagles withstood a pair of late Greyhound rallies and held on for an 11-7 win at the WT Invitational.
The contest marked the first meeting between the programs. ENMU's three triples are the third most in team history and the most since hitting four against Trinity University on March 8, 2000.
Audrey Velasquez batted two-for-three with a triple to extend her hitting streak to six straight games.
After The Eagles used a leadoff walk to plate a run in the top of the first inning, the Hounds went to work offensively. One out into the ENMU first inning,
Erikka Burke and
Susannah Chandler cracked back-to-back triples to tie the game.
Morgan Green followed with a RBI groundout, to score Chandler and give the Hounds a 2-1 advantage.
The Eagles exploded offensively in the second inning and sent 10 batters to the plate and took a 7-2 lead. After a one-out walk to
Kyra Sirag, the Hounds went back to the same formula which has worked effectively during their first week of play, which was to score with two outs. Velasquez plated Sirag with an RBI triple and came home on a single from Burke.
After
Natasha Kissell drove in a run in the third inning, Eastern went right back to scoring with two outs. Marleyna Piñon scored on a wild pitch, and
Mariah Rodriguez singled to plate Kissell to knot the score at 7-all.
Chadron State plated two runs in the fourth inning and a pair more in the fifth, to seize an 11-7 lead. The Hounds managed a pair of base runners in both the sixth and seventh innings, but were unable to pull closer.
The Eagles held a 15-10 edge in total hits.
Simone Laurenz drew three of the Greyhound's five walks in the game. Burke batted three-for-four, while Piñon hit two-for-four.
The Eastern New Mexico University softball team will conclude play at the WT invitational this afternoon, against St. Mary's University.
