PORTALES, N.M. – For the first time in 21 years, Eastern New Mexico softball is headed to the Lone Star Conference tournament. The historic moment begins Thursday as the Hounds face St. Mary's in the opening game of the multiday contest. Before ENMU goes toe-to-toe with the Rattlers, please take a look at the Four Bases:

First – Rematch Coming: Both squads met in the first weekend of conference play this season in San Antonio. The Greyhounds came away with two wins in the three-game series. All contests were decided in the final frame. Game one saw Eastern come away with a ten-inning win, 3-2. The second contest looked to be in StMU's favor until ENMU scored five runs in the seventh inning to earn a 5-3 victory. Looking to pull off the road sweep, Eastern New Mexico came just shy as the Ratters beat the visitors, 3-2, in a nine-inning battle. The two programs made for a fun first weekend of the season and the opportunity to win a playoff game makes it that much more interesting.

Second – Hounds to Watch: With a program that has won its most games since 2007, when they totaled 29, there are several key members of that team to note. The top pitcher for ENMU is Brook Leger. The senior ace ranks among the best in program history in several categories including being first in strikeouts per seven inning game (6.94), second in strikeouts (366), third in appearances (91), third in lowest opponent batting average (.264), fourth in wins (31), and fifth in innings pitched (369.0). Three players hit above .300 on the season – Mikenzey Patterson (.390), Ashley Nickerson (.320), and Azalea Martinez (.302).

Third – Tournament History: The Hounds are appearing in the tournament for just the third time in program history. In 2001, the squad made it to the championship game before falling short of the title. The team ended up winning the South Central regional championship and advancing to the final eight of the NCAA tournament earning a fifth place nod. The 2002 team lost a pair of close contests in their most recent appearance – Central Oklahoma (4-2) and Southwestern (6-0).

Home – Rattlers Coming: Historically, St. Mary's has one of the most consistent winning teams in the region. After a pair of losing seasons in 2020 and 2021, StMU has recorded two-straight winning seasons. Before then, the program saw 31-straight years with a .500 or better record. One of the big reasons for that is head coach Donna Fields who is in her 26th season as the Rattlers' leader. She is the only person associated with the university to win a national title as a player (1986) and as a coach (2002). Fields holds a record of 1038-472 as a head coach.