Wednesday, March 23, 2016

PORTALES, N.M. — After a six-game road trip, the Eastern New Mexico University softball team (10-24; LSC 3-13) will return home this weekend. The Hounds will open a four-game series with longtime Lone Star Conference rival, Texas-A&M-Kingsville (10-19; LSC 2-10), with a Friday doubleheader at noon. The teams will conclude the series with a Saturday doubleheader, also starting at noon.

The Greyhounds have sprinted to a LSC-high 11 triples this season and are fourth in the league in home runs (32), runs batted in (183), and slugging (.489). Audrey Velasquez ranks fifth in the league in hits, while Kyra Sirag and Susannah Chandler are ninth and tenth. Sirag (22^nd nationally) and Chandler also are tied for second in the LSC with three triples apiece, while Chandler also is tied for sixth in home runs. Velasquez's two strikeouts is tied for the fourth fewest (25^th nationally) in the LSC, this season.

Over the first 34 games of the season, Sirag leads ENMU with a .398 batting average, while Velasquez is second at .369. Chandler leads Eastern in slugging (.647), homers (7), and runs batted in (25), tied with Morgan Green).

On Tuesday, Kyra Sirag registered her 198^th career hit at ENMU. The senior ranks fifth in hits, sixth in runs (107), tied for seventh in triples (7), tied for 10^th in homers (12), ninth in RBIs (95), seventh in total bases (276), and 10^th in walks (43).

ENMU Athletics
Greyhound Softball
Greyhound Roster
Greyhound Schedule
Greyhound Statistics

Lone Star Conference
LSC Softball
LSC Softball Schedule
LSC Softball Statistics
LSC Softball Standings

In Recent Action
On Tuesday, the Greyhounds dropped a non-conference doubleheader at Lubbock Christian. Eastern's 13 runs in the first game marked the first time the team has scored more than six runs in a game against the Lady Chaps.

The Javelinas bring a 10-19 overall record to Portales, with a 2-10 mark in LSC play. Texas A&M-Kingsville is looking to snap a four-game skid, which came against then ninth-ranked St. Mary's and Lubbock Christian. The Javelinas conference victories came in a doubleheader sweep to open a four-game series against Cameron. Texas A&M-Kingsville's pitching staff has given up the third fewest walks in the LSC, while Lindsey Angelico is fifth in the league in sacrifice bunts.
 
Against Texas A&M-Kingsville
TAMUK Athletics
Javelina Softball
Javelina Roster
Javelina Schedule
Javelina Statistics

The Greyhounds enter the weekend looking for their third series win over Texas A&M-Kingsville. In 2013, Eastern took two of three contests, to earn their first win in a road series against TAMUK. The only other series win came at home in 2001, the season in which ENMU claimed the regional title. The programs have split five series since the initial meeting in 1997.

Last season, Audrey Velasquez batted .563 with three doubles against the Javelinas. Susannah Chandler had a pair of doubles in the series along with a .400 batting average.

Up Next
The Eastern New Mexico University softball team will open a ten-game road trip on March 30, at New Mexico Highlands. After a doubleheader at Oklahoma Christian, the Hounds will play a four-game series at West Texas A&M. The road trip will conclude with a non-conference doubleheader at Oklahoma Panhandle State.