TUSCON, ARIZ. – Eastern New Mexico softball ended the Cactus Classic 3-3 after starting the weekend off with back to back wins on Friday.
The Hounds headed into Saturday play taking a close loss in their first contest while struggling in their second to find home plate. The Greyhounds took a 6-2 lead after the fourth inning against the Hawaii-Hilo Vulcans in their first Saturday matchup. The Hounds recorded three hits in the bottom of the fifth, including a home run from Jenny McElroy as the Hounds trailed by two runs to the Vulcans. Taking the contest into eight innings the Hounds recorded seven hits to the Vulcans 13 falling 9-7.
In their next Saturday contest, the Hounds succeeded in getting a batter on base but were unable to take a girl home falling to the Lindenwood Lions 5-0. The Hounds came close to a run in the first and third inning with
Elysa Rodriguez on third base in both situations. In the bottom of the third after Jokaria Paredes doubled advancing
Elysa Rodriguez, Rodriguez made a run for home plate but was caught by the catcher. The Hounds loaded the bases once more but had two batters strike out before the end of the inning.
The Hounds started Sunday morning, and the final day of tournament play, off with a 6-2 win against California University of Pennsylvania. Allowing one run from Cal U in the first inning, both teams went scoreless until
Kianna Galindo took
Parker Smith home in the top of the six.
Heading into the seventh inning the Greyhounds took control of the matchup and scored five runs.
Elysa Rodriguez sent two Hounds home after a double and eventually scored herself after an error on the Vulcans. Freshman pitchers
Jordan Bowman and
Tava Boone split time in the circle matching stats with one run and one strikeout each. Bowman allowed six hits for 17 at-bats in her four innings pitched.
In their final contest of the day, the Greyhounds recorded eight hits and one run against Southern Nazarene. The Hounds loaded the bases in the first four innings and recorded their lone run by
Andrea Cline in the top of the third. Freshman
Tava Boone pitched all six innings for the Hounds recorded 10 hits and six strikeouts.
Senior
Elysa Rodriguez finished the weekend with five runs, six hits, and four RBI's. Rodriguez leads the Hounds with 31 at-bats, nine hits, and 12 runs for the season while hitting a .387.
Andrea Cline, junior catcher, is right behind Rodriguez after recording seven hits and one run over the weekend. Cline recorded three RBI's in a single game and leads the team with eight for the season.
The Greyhounds will head back to Lubbock, TX for a four-game series before officially starting Lone Star Conference play March 6
th at the Greyhound Softball Field.