Friday, March 17, 2017

DENTON, TEXAS — Junior first baseman Erikka Burke had two base hits over Friday's doubleheader for the Eastern New Mexico University softball team (13-21; LSC 6-8), which included her ninth home run of the season. The Greyhounds were defeated 11-3 by Texas Woman's (18-10; LSC 7-5) in Friday's opener, and fell 12-2 in the nightcap at Pioneer Field.

The Hounds entered the series with a 5-1 road record in Lone Star Conference play. The teams will conclude the series on Saturday with a single game at noon MST.

Burke is the 11th player in program history to register nine homers in a season, and tied Rachel Mohler and Michelle Anderson for ninth on the team's single-season list.  The last time a player reached that total was Taylor Howard, with 10 in the 2011 season. Burke now has 17 round-trippers for her career and ranks sixth in ENMU history.

Second Game
Starting pitcher Kiana Zerr held the Pioneers in check over the first five innings and allowed just three runs on four hits. Courtney Vigil led off the Greyhound third inning with a double and staked ENMU to a 1-0 lead when she scored on an error. Texas Woman's plated three runs in the bottom of the inning, but Eastern answered in the fifth. Ashley Lopez led off with a double down the left field line and scored on Susannah Chandler's two-out single up the middle.

Adriana Carabajal drew a leadoff walk in the top of the sixth inning and stole second base, but the Hounds were unable to push the game-tying run across the plate. In the bottom of the inning, the Pioneers capitalized on an error and seven hits to plate nine runs and end the game.

Zerr allowed just two earned runs over 5.1 innings of work, while Tori Bice scattered five hits to earn the win.

First Game
Facing a 1-0 count, Burke homered in the top of the first inning to give ENMU a 1-0 lead. The Pioneers plated two runs in the bottom of the inning and seized a 4-1 lead in the third. Carabajal led off the Greyhound fourth with a single and scored on an errant throw after a sacrifice bunt from Chandler.

Texas Woman's immediately responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning, but the Hounds struck again in the top of the sixth. Burke's single started the inning, and she moved into scoring position on a bunt from Carabajal. A two-out single from Samantha Brockman cut ENMU's deficit to 6-2. The Pioneers plated five runs on four hits in the bottom of the inning to end the game.

Abbie Walker scattered four hits to earn the win for TWU. Burke batted two-for-three for the Hounds.