Tuesday, March 29, 2016

PORTALES, N.M. — Last week, the Eastern New Mexico University softball team continued to show explosiveness at the plate and batted .369 with 38 runs scored. After setbacks to Lubbock Christian and Texas A&M-Kingsville, the Hounds will look to get back on track with non-conference doubleheaders at New Mexico Highlands and Oklahoma Christian.

Over the first 38 games of the season, Kyra Sirag has led Eastern with a .424 batting average. She also has a .627 slugging percentage, 25 runs scored, two stolen bases, and a .987 fielding percentage. Audrey Velasquez is close behind at .387 with two triples, three homers, and a team-high 32 runs scored.

Eastern ranks 29^th in NCAA Division II play in slugging percentage (.487) and 33^rd in homeruns per game (0.89). Velasquez is ranked as the 28^th toughest batter in the nation to strike out, with just three in 137 at bats.

ENMU Athletics
Greyhound Softball
Greyhound Roster
Greyhound Schedule
Greyhound Statistics

Upcoming Schedule
Wednesday, March 30: at New Mexico Highlands (DH) 12 / 2 p.m.
Saturday, April 2: at Oklahoma Christian (DH) 12 / 2 p.m.

In the Record Books
The 2015 ENMU softball team has set a new team record, with four grand slams. Simone Laurenz had the first of the season, against Oklahoma Panhandle State, on February 9. The second four-run blast was hit by Kiana Zerr at Angelo State, followed by Erikka Burke at Lubbock Christian. Last Saturday, Sirag had the record-setting hit against Texas A&M-Kingsville.
 
The seasons in which ENMU had three grand slams were:
2013 (Sirag vs Central Oklahoma, Erica Armendarez vs University of the Southwest, Marleyna Piñon vs Midwestern State)
 
2012 (Aurelia Sandoval vs Texas-Permian Basin, Aurelia Sandoval vs Texas-Permian Basin, Katelyn Medrano vs Cameron)
 
2007 (Rebecca Quiñones vs Oklahoma Panhandle, Kristen Cruickshank vs San Francisco State, Michelle Anderson at West Texas A&M)
 
2006 (Jessica Nocas vs College of the Southwest, Kelsey Kubik vs West Texas A&M, Courtney McClasky at Adams State)
 
Last Saturday's contest against Texas A&M-Kingsville was the highest scoring game in team history, with the teams combining for 36 runs. The previous high came on March 11, 2011, when ENMU and Abilene Christian combined for 33 runs.
 
The team is currently hitting .322, which is tied for the fourth-best in team history, while the .487 slugging percentage is second best for ENMU. Eastern's 11 triples is tied for the fourth most in a single season.
 
Around The Lone Star Conference
Lone Star Conference
LSC Softball
LSC Softball Schedule
LSC Softball Statistics
LSC Softball Standings

The Hounds rank third in the Lone Star Conference in hits (336) and are first in doubles (11). Eastern's also ranks fourth in homers (34), slugging (.487), and fielding percentage (.962).

Velasquez ranks third in the LSC with 53 hits, while Sirag and Susannah Chandler are sixth and eighth. Sirag and Chandler also are tied for fourth with three triples.
 
Against New Mexico Highlands
NMHU Athletics
Cowgirls Softball
Cowgirls Roster
Cowgirls Schedule
Cowgirls Statistics

The Greyhounds are 36-23 against New Mexico Highlands, with a 14-10 series record on the road. Eastern has won seven of the last nine meetings between the teams. Earlier this season, the teams split a doubleheader in Portales, with the Hounds claiming a 10-1 win, before the Cowgirls bounced back for a 7-5 victory in the nightcap. ENMU held a slim .346-.345 edge in batting over the two games. Marleyna Piñon batted .600 against NMHU, while Erikka Burke hit .500 with a pair of homeruns. Kyra Sirag drove in a team-best five runs.
 
The Cowgirls enter the week with a record of 8-21, with a 5-15 mark in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play. After a canceled series at Chadron State, NMHU will be playing for the first time since a 12-1 setback to Colorado School of Mines, on March 20^th. Last season, New Mexico Highlands posted a 22-28 record, and finished eighth in the RMAC with a record of 16-19. The Cowgirls dropped games to top-seeded Metro State and Colorado State-Pueblo at the conference tournament.
 
Against Oklahoma Christian
OCU Athletics
Eagles Softball
Eagles Roster
Eagles Schedule
Eagles Statistics

Eastern is 1-2 against Oklahoma Christian, and most recently played the Eagles in 2014. This weekend marks the Hounds' first true road game against OCU, but Eastern played the Eagles at Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, on April 7, 2001. Jennifer Harrer scattered five hits and fanned six batters to earn her 12^th win of the season, as ENMU picked up a 2-0 victory. Maegan Rhoten cracked a first-inning double, and Sarah Rempp followed with her fifth homerun of the season to provide the winning margin.
 
The Eagles enter the week with a record of 14-19 and a 9-6 mark in Heartland Conference play. OCU is 0-4 this season against LSC opposition, and will visit Midwestern State, on Wednesday. Last season, Oklahoma Christian posted a 42-16 record, and was third in the Heartland with a 17-6 record.
 
Up Next
The Eastern New Mexico University softball team will continue its road trip with a four-game LSC series at West Texas A&M, next weekend. A doubleheader at Oklahoma Panhandle will follow, before the Hounds return home to face Texas Woman's University.