Saturday, February 27, 2016

PORTALES, N.M. — One day after dropping the opening doubleheader of a Lone Star Conference series to Midwestern State, the Eastern New Mexico softball team (8-10; LSC 1-3) exploded offensively to split the final two games of the series. The Hounds plated eight runs in the third inning, to earn an 8-7 victory in the opener, but the Mustangs (15-9; LSC 3-1) rallied for a 13-11 win in the nightcap.

The win was Eastern's first over Midwestern State, since a 1-0 decision in the 2008 season (won by Kristen Cruickshank). The victory also was the Hounds' first home win against MSU. ENMU batted .435 for the day with a .710 slugging percentage. Audrey Velasquez, Morgan Green, Susannah Chandler, and Erikka Burke all homered for the Greyhounds. Kyra Sirag extended her hit streak to nine straight games.

The Eastern New Mexico University softball team will continue its home stand on Tuesday afternoon, with a non-conference doubleheader against Lubbock Christian. The first pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.

Game 1
Midwestern State starter Peyton Helton dominated the first two innings and returned the first six ENMU batters in order. Marleyna Piñon became the first Greyhound to reach base after leading off the third inning with a single up the middle. After that hit, the floodgates opened up, as ENMU sent 12 batters to the plate, and scored eight runs on seven hits, while they took advantage of three errors. Morgan Green had the biggest hit of the inning with a three-run blast.

The Mustangs got on the board in the fifth inning, and closed to within 8-3 in the sixth on a two-run homer from Taylor Mordecai. In the top of the seventh inning, MSU plated four runs and looked poised to at least tie the game with the bases loaded and only one out. Greyhound starter Aja Secheslingloff popped up catcher Amanda Thomas before Green caught a hard line drive for the final out of the game.

The win was Secheslingloff's fifth of the season. Piñon batted two-for-three, while Velasquez and Burke both hit two-for-four.

Game 2
In the nightcap, ENMU's Kiana Zerr blanked Midwestern State for the first four innings. Eastern, on the other hand, started quickly. Velasquez and Chandler led off the first inning with doubles, sandwiched around Burke being struck by a pitch. Chandler's hit drove in the first run of the game, while Green and Kyra Sirag both drove in runs for a 3-0 lead.

Eastern capitalized on a pair of Mustang errors to add a run in the second inning, and pushed the lead to 5-0 on a Velasquez RBI double in the third inning. Chandler led off the fourth frame with a solo blast, and the Hounds had a 6-0 lead.

Midwestern State exploded in the fifth inning and seized a 9-6 lead after sending 14 batters to the plate. Katelynn Vinson had a three-run homer in the inning. Eastern continued to score and plated single runs in the fifth and sixth innings, but MSU responded with a three-run sixth and one more in the seventh.

Velasquez and Burke led off the bottom of the seventh with back-to-back homers to bring ENMU to within 13-10. Green drove a one-out triple to right field, and came home on a single from Sirag. Simone Laurenz drew a two-out walk to bring the game-tying run to the plate, but MSU reliever Peyton Helton escaped the jam.

Velasquez batted four-for-five with two doubles and a homerun, while Chandler went three-for-five with a double and homer. Natasha Kissell also hit three-for-five.