WICHITA FALLS, Texas – A wild game one set the stage for a competitive Lone Star Conference series as Midwestern State found a way to win, 6-5, in 11 innings and ENMU pulled off a defensive-first, 7-3, contest in game two.

Game 1
The game looked to be in the Greyhounds hands as they took an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first. The frame saw Mikenzey Patterson bunt safely to reach first and earn her 19th stolen base of the season.

Ashley Nickerson got on base via an eight-pitch walk and Azalea Martinez moved the runners into scoring position with a single to center field.

A bases loaded walk to Jennifer Gress scored the first run of the game and set up an Aylene Lucero RBI-base hit to left. Another loaded bases walk to Jokaira Paredes put the Hounds up by three runs.

MSU did not go down empty handed as they stayed patient at the plate and scored four runs off Brook Leger to open their offensive attack. Freshman Marissa Rodriguez came in relief for the senior ace and got a quick pair of outs to get out of a bases loaded jam.

Despite a plethora of runs scored in the opening frame, the scoreboard stayed dry until the sixth inning as both programs saw runners reach base, but the defensive sides continued to find ways to keep the game at 4-3.

That was the case until the sixth.

ENMU loaded the bases with three bunts to setup Torianna Borunda to score on a fielder's choice.

From that point until the bottom of the eighth, no team saw a runner reach base setting up a lengthy back-and-forth affair.

Midwestern State hit a two-out double to break the hitless streak, but Rodriguez was able to strikeout the next batter on just four pitches.

In the ninth, Alondra Vasquez blasted a shot to left field and give Eastern its first lead since the opening minutes of the contest. The homer puts her in a tie for a team-lead with Martinez with six total in 2023.

The Mustangs answered with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. The home side got an RBI-double to lock the score at 5-5.

The tenth saw a Hound get into scoring position, but no damage could be done on either side as the contest moved into the eleventh.

This was the first time Eastern New Mexico went into the eleventh inning. They had a 10-inning game earlier in the year on the road at St. Mary's. They won the game 3-2.

However, this game continued on.

Just like the tenth, ENMU pushed a runner to second base, but the additional support to drive the run safely did not happen.

Eastern New Mexico left eleven runners stranded in the contest.

In the eleventh, MSU got a runner on third base with no outs. Three batters later and the Mustangs walked the game off with an RBI-single up the middle.

"The first game was a marathon," said head coach Amanda Fefel after the game. "Marissa Rodriguez threw phenomenal, but it didn't go our way."

Senior Mikenzey Patterson tied the program record for hits in a game with five total. Marissa Rodriguez went 10.1 innings in relief with 145 pitches and only allowed two runs – one earned.

Game 2
After a 30-minute intermission, both teams met for the second matchup at Mustang Park. This time, ENMU came out with a 7-3 victory courtesy of errorless defense and executing when MSU committed errors.

Eastern began the game with three walks to load the bases and setup an opportunity to take the first punch in the contest. Instead, Midwestern State got out of the inning with a popup and sent it to the bottom half of the side.

That is where the Mustangs took full advantage of the Hounds leaving a trio of runners on base.

The home squad used smart base running and found a way to take the early 2-0 advantage.

The Greyhounds got their first run after two costly errors by MSU. A routine fly ball to center was dropped and allowed the Hounds to get its leadoff hitter, Jokaira Paredes, to reach first safely.

With one out, Paredes stole second base and got herself in scoring position with the nine-hole hitter, Madison Begaye, up to the plate. The first-year Hound battled at the plate and earned herself a six-pitch walk.

The previous games top hitter chose to lay down a sacrifice bunt and advanced both runners into scoring position with two outs. That is when Alondra Vasquez reached on a throwing error by the third baseman to score ENMU's first run of the night cap.

Up 2-1 in the bottom half of the inning, Midwestern State earned a pair of singles to ignite a push offensively. Instead, starting pitcher Emma Southerland forced a popup on a bunt, groundout to herself, and a foul out to third base to get out of the potential threat.

Both programs earned one-out singles in the third frame, but the game moved into the following inning with both defenses holding their ground.

With one out, Begaye earned her third hit of the season with a single up the middle. She put herself in position to score as Patterson tripled down the third base line.

Just sixty feet separated the Hounds from grabbing the lead and it did not take long for that to happen as a wild pitch was a no-brainer to send Patterson home to push ENMU to a 3-2 score.

Junior Alondra Vasquez continued her great day at the plate with a double to right center. Junior Taighen Whitzel came into the contest as a pinch hitter and she did her job as she got on base with a five-pitch walk.

Raegan Chioino came into the match to run for Vasquez. Immediately, both runners advanced a base on a wild pitch. Another error by MSU proved to be costly as the Mustangs shortstop could not throw out a Hound runner at first allowing Chioino to score and for the game to move to 4-2.

A quick fifth inning setup a great opportunity for ENMU to build on its lead.

Patterson began the frame with her seventh hit of the day – a base hit up the middle. Using her speed, she stole second – her 20th of the season and second of the day.

After a lineout, Azalea Martinez picked up a single to the shortstop to put runners on the corners.

Artesia, N.M. native, Chanler Groves ran for Martinez. For good reason, she stole second and gave the green light to Kianna Galindo who singled to right field to increase the Hounds lead.

Emma Southerland continued her solid evening with a clutch bunt allowing Groves to score and for her team to go up 6-2.

The Mustangs did score a run early in the bottom half of the sixth, but that is all they were able to do offensively for the rest of the evening.

Another MSU error allowed Taylor Harrison to touch home for ENMU in the seventh and locked up the game for good.

All Eastern needed was a Southerland strikeout – her fourth of the day – and a double play to complete the split with Midwestern State.

"I am proud how the team refocused for another fight in game two," said head coach Amanda Fefel. "We could have easily rolled over when MSU scored two early, but we executed by chipping away. We had numerous hitters come in clutch with runners in scoring position to get the job done."

Southerland picked up her sixth win of the season to improve to 6-4. The sophomore holds a 4.85 ERA and spun the ball with efficiency to create easier outs for the defense.

On the day, Patterson finished with six singles and a triple. She improved her average to .404 (4^th in the LSC) and now has a conference leading four triples. She is also fifth in the league with 20 stolen bases.

"My game plan today was to utilize my speed and the ground as much as I could. That was my focus all week leading into today so I had to execute," said Patterson after the split doubleheader. "The game was a battle back-and-forth between both teams, but I knew my girls were going to keep fighting and keep pushing until the very last out. It took everyone of us to play today and everyone did what they could to keep us fighting."

The Greyhounds now sit at 21-23 (13-19 LSC) with the last game of the series set to be played tomorrow in Wichita Falls. First pitch is slated for 12 p.m. MT.