Saturday, February 4, 2017
DURANT, OKLA. — Outfielder
Cameron Conrad batted two for three with a double, as the Eastern New Mexico University softball team (0-3) pounded out six hits in Saturday's game against Southwestern Oklahoma State (1-2). The Bulldogs claimed a 9-3 victory over Eastern in the Greyhounds lone game of the day at the Southeastern Oklahoma State Regional Tournament.
"It was a tough team and a very toss loss," said Head Coach
Katie Welborn. "Their pitcher kept us off balance and had the stamina to keep us off the board for a while. We finally started making adjustments and the plate, but they came a little too late. Defensively, we have things to work on. That's what these first few games are for, and why we are playing such tough opponents. We want them to expose what we need to work on, so by the next go around there are no holes in our game."
Southwestern Oklahoma State scored five runs over the first two innings, and pushed their lead to 7-0 in the fifth frame.
Samantha Brockman got ENMU on the board with a RBI double in the bottom of the fifth, while Kalamani Peneku added a two-run single in the sixth.
Tristen Castaneda tossed for innings of relief for Eastern and allowed just two earned runs. Taya Haney went the distance for SWOSU and struck out seven batters. Eastern committed six errors in the game, which allowed the Bulldogs to strike for four unearned runs.
Susannah Chandler and
Erikka Burke have reached base safely in all three of the Greyhounds' games this season.
"Highlights to me came from two freshman and a junior transfer," added Welborn. "Tristen Castaneda in her first collegiate appearance threw a heck of a game. She was calm and consistent.
Cameron Conrad, another freshman, came up big for us at the plate. She's a tiny thing, but didn't hit like it today.
Kamalani Peneku came up to the plate and did what she needed to do more than once. I'm proud of all my girls, but those three were standouts today. We play tough opponents tomorrow, but we've got the rest of the day to get a game plan. If my freshman keep playing like they are, and my upperclassmen play like they can, we should take home these last two games."
The Eastern New Mexico University softball team will return to action on Sunday, against St. Mary's and St. Edwards. The game against St. Mary's is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. MST.
