PORTALES, N.M. – The Eastern New Mexico softball team will look to build off a 3-0 series sweep last weekend against Texas Woman's in their second home conference series of the year this weekend against UT-Permian Basin.

The Hounds are currently 7-7 overall and raised their Lone Star Conference record back up to .500 last weekend with three consecutive wins over Texas Woman's University on the road in Denton, Texas. Eastern New Mexico will take on a UT-Permian Basin team that is currently winless in LSC play and has lost seven out of their eight contests with the Greyhounds.

Eastern New Mexico will be celebrating Breast Cancer Awareness this weekend at the Greyhound Softball Complex and all fans in attendance are encouraged to wear pink to celebrate the cause! Games are scheduled for a 6 p.m. first pitch on Friday and a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

SCOUTING THE FALCONS
UT-Permian Basin finished last season with an overall record of 16-36 and won just four conference games, leading to a 10th place selection in the 2019 Lone Star Conference Preseason Coaches Poll. The Falcons opened up their 2019 conference schedule with three straight losses to Texas A&M-Commerce, scoring just one run in three games against the Lions.

Junior Alyssa Lopez is the lone Falcon to sport a batting average above .300 on the season with a .320 mark, leading the team to wins over Chadron State, Fort Lewis and University of the Southwest. Four different pitchers have seen action in the circle this season with freshman Abrie Castillo appearing in 11 games and senior Sloan Springfield starting in 10 games to provide the majority of the innings for the Falcons.

HISTORY WITH THE FALCONS
Eastern New Mexico has gotten the better of UT-Permian Basin in recent years, winning seven out of the last eight meetings between the two teams. That lone loss came in Odessa, Texas last season in game one of the series by a 9-1 final before the Hounds took game number two and game number three 3-2 and 5-0.

The Hounds are 10-4 at home all time against the Falcons at the Greyhound Softball Field.

ROCKIN WITH RODRIGUEZ
Junior Elysa Rodriguez took the team lead for RBI's last weekend after a series in which she hit .455 and knocked in five runs over the course of the three game series. The Tucson, Ariz. native also hit her third home run of the season in game one of the series and now leads the team in that offensive category as well. 

That quality weekend for Rodriguez raised her season batting average to .395 for the year, getting her close to becoming the fifth Greyhound to sport a batting average above .400 on the season. 

THE "M" SISTERS
Freshman Iliana Mendoza and senior Karina Moreno both extended their reached base streak to 10 consecutive games this past weekend and have continued to find different ways to get on base throughout the season. Mendoza has currently recorded a hit in 10 straight games while Moreno leads the team with five walks and four hit by pitches on the season.  

HERRON IS HURLIN
Senior Kimberly Herron had an outstanding weekend in the circle for the Hounds, picking up the complete game win in both game number two and three of the series against Texas Woman's University last weekend. She surrendered just two earned runs in 14.0 innings of work and moved her record to 4-3 on the season.

The Shawnee, Okla. native worked her way around multiple jams throughout the weekend and continues to find ways to get timely outs with runners in scoring position. Herron has allowed just three hits in 31 at bats when the opposing team has two outs and runners in scoring position for the year.

CAN ANYBODY NOT HIT?
The Hounds are currently tied for the second best team batting average for the season at .344 and much of that success can be attributed from a top-to-bottom lineup that is capable of getting hits from any player that steps to the plate. Head coach Kira Zeiter has used that to her advantage and has thrown different lineups at opponents that have continued to be effective and produce at a high level.

Zeiter has made adjustments particularly in the bottom half of the order, as six different Hounds have hit in the seventh and eighth spot in the lineup throughout the season. With so many players hitting well, the heart of the order has expanded to include the fifth, sixth and even seventh spot in the lineup as Samatha Brockman, Jennifer McElroy and Rodriguez have all found themselves producing from those spots in the order while all hitting well over .300 for the season.