DENTON, TEXAS – Eastern New Mexico Softball picked up an 11-inning marathon win over Texas Woman's during a split of a doubleheader on Sunday afternoon at Dianne Baker Field. In the opening game the Pioneers scored nine unanswered runs to take a 9-3 victory over Eastern. During game two, ENMU never trailed during the game, scoring three runs in the 11^th inning to secure a 6-3 win. With the win, ENMU now sit at 21-19 on the season, while holding a 14-18 LSC record. The Pioneers stand at 18-24 overall with a 16-16 overall conference record.

GAME ONE: TWU 9, ENMU 3

The Greyhounds started the game well, scoring after the opening two batters. Mikenzey Patterson tripled to left center to start the game, then Alondra Vasquez brought them home with a sacrifice fly. The next runs in the game came in the third inning. Valeria Contreras started the inning with a single to right field, then Patterson recorded an infield single to get two runners on. After a wild pitch moved the runners up one base, Taighen Whitzel provided a 2-RBI single with two outs to get ENMU ahead 3-0.
However, the Pioneers put up five runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 5-1 lead. A run scored on a pass ball to score the opening run, 5-1. Later in the inning a bases loaded home run put TWU ahead 5-1 after three innings. During the 5^th inning, the Pioneers provided three more runs to extend their lead, then a solo home run in the 6^th concluded the scoring to take 9-3 victory.

NOTABLE STATS

• Texas Woman's out-hit the Greyhounds, 9-5, with the Pioneers providing four extra-base hits.
• Patterson led Eastern with a pair of base hits, while Whitzel held a team best two RBIs. Aylene Lucero and Contreras provided a base hit along with Patterson and Whitzel.
• Emma Southerland is charged with the loss, pitching 3.0 innings with five runs allowed from five hits and five walks. Ciara Loken (2.0 IP, 3 ER) and Maggie Smith (1.0 IP (1 ER) both entered the circle for Eastern.
• Alyssa LeBlanc tossed a complete game, allowing three runs from five hits with eight strikeouts in the game.

GAME TWO: ENMU 6, TWU 3

Like in the opening game, Eastern struck first in the 2^nd frame of the contest. Lucero began with a double to right field, then Samantha Gutierrez followed with a single to put runners on the corners with no outs. After a pair of outs for Texas Woman's, Contreras delivered a single to right field to bring the opening run home with two outs. After a scoreless third inning, the Pioneers manufactured a run in the 5^th to tie the game at 1-1. A triple combined with a groundout sent the tying run home for TWU.

The Greyhounds moved back in front during the 5^th inning, starching home a run on a squeeze play. With runners on first and third with one out, Whitzel bunted their way on base with Patterson racing home to score ENMU's second run. Texas Woman's replied with a run of their own in the 5^th inning, with back-to-back singles tying the score at 2-2. Another run didn't come until the 8^th inning, with both teams hitting a solo home run. Whitzel began the inning with a solo blast to the opposite field, while Hawwa Townsend also hit a home run in the bottom of the inning to continue the game.

After consecutive scoreless inning, Eastern had a breakthrough in the 11^th frame with three runs. Lucero and Gutierrez both singled to start the inning, and Grace Rofii executed a sacrifice bunt to push the runners into scoring position. Then, Cecy Jurado provided a pinch hit single to put ENMU ahead 4-3. The Greyhounds closed out the top of the inning with two more runs, scoring on an error and a sacrifice fly from Contreras to go up 6-3. The ENMU defense shutout any rebuttal from TWU, holding on to take a 6-3 win in 11 innings.

NOTABLE STATS

• Eastern supplied 11 hits to the Pioneers seven hits. The Greyhounds finished with four extra-base hits.
• Gutierrez, Lucero, and Rofii each finished with two base hits, while Whitzel and Contreras each contributed two RBIs.
• Marissa Rodriguez twirled a complete game in the circle, with seven hits allowed over 11 innings adding five strikeouts to their total.
• Jaycie Hall gets the loss, providing 11 hard thrown innings allowing six runs (five earned) with six K's and a pair of walks.

FROM THE SOURCE

"Today was a back-and-forth chess match with us, but it was great to see Marissa (Rodriguez) go the distance in the win," said Head ENMU Softball Coach Amanda Fefel. "The dugout didn't go silent in the second game with several different players contributing to our success. Valeria Contreras was such a presence both on and off the field, her energy and grit was amazing today," said Fefel. "Cecy Jurado also stepped up as well in a pinch-hit opportunity to tack on a run in the top of the 11^th. All around, it was a great game to battle and win," said Fefel. "We loom to get back at it tomorrow and win the series,".

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Rodriguez tied a program record with 11.0 innings pitched (career high), with Kimberly Crouse also tossing 11.0 innings in a game against Texas Woman's on May 1, 2010. Rodriguez' previous mark for innings pitched was 10.1 innings, against Midwestern State (4/6/23) in a game that went to the 11^th inning.
• 11 innings is the longest game in the 90-game series history between the two squads (based on available records). The game also marks the first road victory for ENMU since 2019.
• Rofii had two doubles in a single game for the first time this season.
• Eastern goes for the series win tomorrow, with first pitch scheduled for 9:30 a.m. against the Pioneers.