Saturday, April 16, 2016

PORTALES, N.M. — Senior catcher Kyra Sirag batted .429 over Saturday's senior-day doubleheader at Greyhound Field, and belted a game-tying three-run homer in the opener. The first game also saw her catch an Eastern New Mexico University-record four potential base stealers. Texas Woman's University (30-17; LSC 19-9) pulled away to win the game 16-6, and held on to take the nightcap from the Greyhound softball team (13-39; LSC 4-24) by a 5-1 score.

After the Lone Star Conference doubleheader ended, Sirag, along with fellow seniors Marlena Piñon, Morgan Green, and Mariah Zerr were honored for their contributions to the program. "They all came up big at their time when they needed to," said head coach Katie Welborn. "I couldn't be any prouder of my seniors."

With hits in both games, Katie Ripple extended her hitting streak to a current team-best six games. Audrey Velasquez has reached base in seven straight games.

The Eastern New Mexico University softball team will play its final series of the 2016 season, next weekend at Tarleton State. The first doubleheader of the series is scheduled for Friday at 4 p.m. MT.

Game 1
Kyra Sirag and Susannah Chandler both had three-run homers in the first two innings of the opener, but Texas Woman's broke the game open with an eight-run second inning and pulled away for the win. The game ended after the fifth inning, due to the Pioneers holding a lead of more than eight runs.

Sirag batted two for three in the game, and tossed out two base runners in the first inning, and another in the second. She tossed out Lindy Kennedy at second base in the fourth inning, to set the record. "Honestly, it was my last weekend at home," said Sirag. "I had to go all out."

"Greatness follows Kyra," said Welborn. "I expect her to do great things all the time. Nothing about her surprises me."

Chandler also batted two for three for the Hounds, and had her eighth homer of the season. Katie Hickey picked up the win for TWU with 3.1 innings of relief.

Game 2
The Pioneers scored the first run of the nightcap in the top of the first inning and tacked on two more in the second frame. A one-out Laura Mabary single in the fourth staked TWU to a 5-0 advantage. Green doubled one out into the ENMU fourth inning and scored on a two-out single from Mariah Rodriguez.

Sirag, Piñon, and Ripple each had hits in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings, but Eastern was unable to push additional runs across the plate.

Ripple had a double and a sacrifice bunt. Green added her eighth double of the season, while Piñon had a sacrifice for the Hounds. Kiana Zerr tossed her eighth complete game of the season, while Tori Bice scattered eight hits to earn her 17^th win of the season for the Pioneers.