PORTALES, N.M. – Eastern New Mexico Softball opens the 2024 Lone Star Conference Softball Tournament, facing (7) Texas Woman's University on Thursday, May 2, at 10 a.m. (MST) from Schaeffer Park in Canyon, Texas. The winner between the Greyhounds and Pioneers will play later in the day, battling (2) #3 UT Tyler in the quarterfinals, expected to begin at 3 p.m. (MST).

TUNE IN

• The LSC Softball Tournament will be covered on the LSC Digital Network. The LSC Digital Network will now offer a single game pass for $15, a monthly pass for $30, and a yearly pass for $140. (10) ENMU vs (7) TWU
• The Greyhounds travel to West Texas A&M, the host institution, to compete in the 2024 LSC Tournament. Tickets are available as single-session passes. Each single-session ticket on Thursday and Friday includes two tournament games and is redeemable for the specified session only. Saturday single-session ticket includes the final game. The park will be cleared following each session. ENMU vs TWU Tickets | LSC Softball Championship Tickets
• Live stats will be available for each contest throughout the tournament: LSC Tournament Live Statistics

SCOUTING THE GREYHOUNDS 

Entering the tournament as the 10^th seed, the Greyhounds concluded the season with a 25-25 record along with an 18-24 conference record (setting a program high for LSC wins in a season). ENMU will match up with Texas Woman's for the 4^th time this season, and their first postseason clash in the 92^nd meeting between the two programs.

Offensively, the Greyhounds have produced one of the best hitting seasons in program history, ranking in the top-10 for a handful of statistical categories. Eastern ranks in 3^rd for the LSC for batting average, .313, while their .504 slugging percentage is 2^nd best in the conference. Additionally, the Greyhounds have supplied 415 hits, scoring 215 runs, with 253 RBIs (3^rd in LSC). In the circle, Eastern New Mexico has a 4.46 ERA, striking out 174 hitters and allowing 239 runs from 381 hits.
 
Taighen Whitzel leads the team in the batter's box, holding a .387 batting average, 60 hits, 12 home runs, and 24 walks. Mikenzey Patterson leads off the Greyhound lineup and has a .386 batting average, supplying a team high 37 runs scored on 54 hits. Alondra Vasquez has brought home 49 runs this season, while Samantha Gutierrez sports a .383 batting average, with 45 RBIs from 57 hits (including a team high 16 doubles). Marissa Rodriguez and Jordan Rivera have been the go-to arms for the Greyhounds in recent weeks, with Rodriguez posting a 3.41 ERA and a 12-11 record on a team high 28 appearances. Rivera has hurled 70.0 innings this season, sitting 5-5 on the season with 52 strikeouts and a .257 opponent batting average against.

SCOUTING THE PIONEERS

Texas Woman's drew the Greyhounds as the 7^th seed, closing the regular season with a 25-28 record, and 23-19 conference standing. The Pioneer's took two games against the Greyhounds in the three-game regular season series, capturing wins of 9-3 and 7-3 while the Greyhounds won the middle game 6-3 in 11 innings.
 
Texas Woman's sport a .245 batting average as a team, with 326 hits, scoring 182 runs, along with 160 RBIs. TWU has accumulated 97 extra base hits, posting 52 doubles, eight triples, and 32 home runs. The Pioneers pitching staff leads the conference with 327 strikeouts, holding a 3.71 ERA. Texas Woman's has allowed 185 runs, on 328 hits, with opponents hitting just .246.
 
Alyssa LeBlanc stands out in the batter's box and the pitching circle, leading the team with a .336 batting average and a team low 2.99 ERA. LeBlanc is responsible for 223 strikeouts this season in 31 appearances and 24 starts and 22 complete games, leading the conference and landing 8^th in the nation. In the batter's box, LeBlanc leads the team with 44 hits, 26 RBIs, and 10 home runs.  Vivica Hernandez is next for RBIs (20) and hits (36), while Callie Bailey has the second-best batting average (.259). Jaycie Hall is the other primary starter, with 18 starts in the 22 games played. Hall sports a 4.02 ERA with 67 strikeouts.