AUSTIN, TEXAS – Eastern New Mexico softball earned a split in a very close series with St. Edward's University on Sunday afternoon. In game one, the Hilltoppers came out on top, 1-0, over Eastern, but the Greyhounds took game two, 3-2, against SEU. Eastern move to 10-22 overall on the season with a 3-13 LSC standing. St. Edward's stand at 14-16 on the year with a 5-11 conference record. 

GAME ONE: SEU 1, ENMU 0

Eastern had runners in scoring position early after a walk from Sierra Wooley and a double from Azalea Martinez. The Hilltoppers got out of the inning with a popup to avoid any damage. In the bottom of the second, St. Edward's took advantage of early base runners to score the games first run. After a hit by pitch and a single, a sacrifice groundout moved both runners into scoring position with one out. A fielder's choice pushed a run home for a 1-0 lead.
 
The home team threatened to score again in the third inning. With two outs, three straight singles loaded the bases. However, Brook Leger picked up a timely strikeout to avoid any damage in the inning, still 1-0 SEU.
 
From then the pitching for both teams locked up the rest of the contest. After the third inning, each team combined for just one hit as McKenna Leamon retried the final 12 batters they faced for the Hilltoppers, and Leger only allowed three baserunners over the final three innings. St. Edward's took game one 1-0 over Eastern.

NOTABLE STATS

• Martinez and Maite Bustillos produced the only hits for Eastern.
• Leger threw their third consecutive complete game, allowing seven hits, one run, with four strikeouts in the loss.
• The winning pitcher was Leamon for the Hilltoppers, striking out eight batters in the complete game shutout.

GAME TWO: ENMU 3, SEU 2

Eastern manufactured a quick run in the first inning of game two. Mikenzey Patterson singled in the lead-off spot and stole second base to put a runner in scoring position. Patterson came around to score after Bustillos reached on an error at third base for a 1-0 ENMU lead.
 
The Hilltoppers looked to reply immediately, loading the bases with one out. Lisette Urquidez was able to get out of the inning with a strikeout and a flyout to end the inning. The Greyhounds struck again in the third inning to take its lead to 2-0. Bustillos started the inning with a double to left field and advanced to third after an error. Then, Urquidez laid down a squeeze bunt to push Bustillos home, 2-0 ENMU.
 
St. Edward's erased the deficit in the third inning. A leadoff single and double put two runners in scoring position with no outs. A hard-hit single to second base brought home both runs to tie the game at 2-2. ENMU avoided any further damage with three straight outs.
 
The Greyhounds broke the deadlock in the sixth inning after walks from Leger and Kianna Galindo put runners on first and second with one out. Then, a pinch hit single from Breanna Loyola pushed Leger around to score from second for a 3-2 advantage. The Hilltoppers limited the damage to just one run as a pop out and strikeout ended the inning.
 
SEU looked to get back into the game in the sixth with back to back singles, but a strong defensive play from Wooley ended the inning. With a runner on first and two outs, a single found its way to right field, and Wooley cut down the runner tryng to extend to third base to end the inning. Eastern closed the final frame with three straight outs to take a 3-2 win over St. Edward's.

NOTABLE STATS

• Seven different Greyhounds recorded a base hit, as Bustillos had the only extra base hit, and Patterson swiped one base.
• Bustillos, Urquidez, and Loyala all recorded an RBI, and Leger scored the game winning run.
• Urquidez tossed four innings, allowing two runs from eight hits in the game for a no decision. Leger came in for relief for the win tossing three scoreless innings, with two hits conceded, no walks, and one strikeout.
• Cadie Belle Currie takes the loss in 5.1 innings thrown, allowing three runs (one earned) on six hits and three walks. Renna Toomey threw the final 1.2 innings, with one hit and one strikeout.

FROM THE SOURCE

"The team played two tough games today," said Head Softball Coach Amanda Fefel. "Defensively we made some big plays to get out of crucial innings that left their runners stranded, while Brook (Leger) was resilient on the mound, pitching 10 of the 14 innings. Lisette (Urquidez) did her job starting the second game to keep hitters off balance and gave out offense time to find a way to get it down with timely execution at the plate," said Fefel. "In the late innings, I was very proud of our bench for stepping up and performing. Kianna (Galindo) drew a big walk which put runners at first and second, and Breanna (Loyola) got the game winning hit to right field," said Fefel. "It's always a great win when multiple people step up in big time situations".

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• The Hounds picked up their first Lone Star Conference win against the Hilltoppers in program history. The win also marks the first time ENMU has beaten the Hilltoppers in Austin, Texas.
• The win is the first against St. Edward's since 2018.
• Loyola picked up their first RBI of the season.
• Eastern now start a ten-game home stretch, starting on Friday, Apr. 1, when the Hounds welcome #23 Oklahoma Christian to Greyhound Softball Field. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 2 p.m.