PORTALES, N.M. – Down 3-0 after the first inning, Eastern New Mexico scored in five-straight innings to beat Texas A&M International, 5-3, Saturday afternoon.

"Emma (Southerland) was able to settle in after International put up three runs in the first inning with no outs," said head coach Amada Fefel on the sophomore pitcher's performance. "She maintained her composure and was able to zone in, hit her spots, and use her defense to get outs throughout the game."

The game didn't begin in Emma Southerland's favor as the Dustdevils started things off with a single and a runner reaching base by way of error.

The three-hole hitter, Tajanae Davi, smashed a homer over center field and gave her team the early advantage in the game.

What Southerland did after giving up the three-run bomb made the biggest difference in the game. Over the next ten batters, none reached base, and the only hit she allowed between the homerun and the end of the game came in the top of the seventh with one out.

"I knew that there was a ton of game left and that the girls are grinders," said Emma Southerland after the game. "We did exactly what we needed to in chipping away at the score and holding them on defense."

The scoreless stretch for TAMIU left the door wide open for ENMU to take control of the game. The Greyhounds scored one run in each inning between the second and sixth inning.

Katelyn Cifuentes hit a homerun to score the first run of the day for the Hounds in the second inning. In the third, Eastern got runners on the corners and a sacrifice bunt from Ashley Nickerson allowed Azalea Martinez to push the deficit to 3-2.

Jennifer Gress began the fourth with a double and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by Southerland. Gress scored as Cifuentes drove her in with a base hit down the left side. The Hounds did load the bases in the frame, but two straight strikeouts kept the game locked at 3-3.

ENMU took the lead for the first time in the fifth. To start the frame, Valeria Contreras singled to right field and advanced to third after a fielding error by the right fielder who misplayed the hop of the ball off the turf allowing the speedy Contreras to be 60 feet away from scoring the eventual game-winner. It didn't take Eastern long to get the run across home plate as Edyn Lopez fouled out to left field allowing her teammate to score the fourth run of the day for the Hounds.

Looking to provide some insurance going into the final stretch of the game, Eastern New Mexico plated another run in the sixth. The inning began with a Mikenzey Patterson single up the middle. The speedy right fielder stole second and got herself in scoring position. Her teammate Azalea Martinez hit a chopper over the pitcher's head giving Patterson enough room to give ENMU a 5-3 advantage.

Southerland continued her strong performance in the circle by getting three outs and her team its first ever series win over Texas A&M International.

"It's always great when our offense is able to produce and give insurance to our pitchers," said Fefel after the 5-3 win. "Emma didn't allow a single hit after the three runs scored in the first until the top of the seventh. I am proud of how she kept fighting and how the team responded to get the series win over a program who has predominantly had the upper hand."
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The junior piitcher finished with five strikeouts and threw 84 pitches over seven innings of work.

ENMU totaled 11 hits compared to just three for the Dustdevils. Eight different players had at least one hit, including three with two each. Those with multiple hits include Azalea Martinez, Jennifer Gress, and Katelyn Cifuentes.

The Greyhounds will get right into the swing of things as they head to Lubbock Christian for a three-game series beginning Tuesday. Both programs will finish the series with two games on Wednesday.

The matchup with the Chaps will be the Hounds third visit to Lubbock this season as they opened the 2022-23 campaign with a three-day tournament and played a doubleheader against Chadron State at Maner Park earlier this year.