PORTALES, N.M. – Separated by just three runs over two games, Eastern New Mexico Softball fell in a pair of home games against Cameron on Friday afternoon at Greyhound Softball Field. In the first game, the Aggies scored four late runs in the 6
th inning to take the opening game 4-2 against the Greyhounds. During the second game, both teams put up plenty of runs, but ENMU's comeback effort fell just short in a 10-9 defeat.
GAME ONE: CU 4, ENMU 2
After a blank first inning, Eastern New Mexico scored the games first runs in the bottom of the second. After
Ramona Fossum walked,
Grace Rofii doubled to left field to put two runners in a scoring position with one out.
Miranda Guillen brought home the games first run with a sacrifice fly, scoring Fossum. Then, ENMU scored a second run in the inning, following a throwing error from the Cameron defense, 2-0 ENMU.
The tide of the game changed in the sixth inning, with the Aggies scoring four runs. After being held hitless in the first five innings, Cameron scored four runs from five hits in the top of the 6
th, taking a 4-2 advantage. Eastern loading the bases with two outs in the next half inning, but Cameron escaped the jam to hold onto a 4-2 win.
NOTABLE STATS
- Eastern supplied seven hits in the game, with Rofii's two doubles being the only hits for extra bases. Christina Meneses scattered a pair of singles for ENMU, while three others Greyhounds had a base hit. Cameron manufactured four runs from six hits in the final two innings to win the game, picking up a pair of doubles and a home run.
- Miranda Guillen finished with six strikeouts in the circle for the Greyhounds, going 7.0 innings with six hits and four earned runs.
- Stormee Reed earns the win for Cameron, pitching all seven innings with two runs allowed from seven hits and four walks.
GAME TWO: CU 10, ENMU 9
Cameron wasted no time taking the lead over the Greyhounds, scoring four runs in the opening frame. The Greyhounds did find one run in the bottom of the inning to respond, but CU returned the four-run lead with a solo home run in the 2
nd. ENMU restored a tie score with one swing in the bottom of the 3
rd inning. Three straight singles from
Aylene Lucero,
Valeria Contreras, and
Alexa Ayala allowed
Alondra Vasquez to bring in all four runs with a grand slam over the left field fence, tied 5-5.
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However, Cameron used the long ball again with a two-run shot in the 5
th inning, taking a 7-5 lead. In the next half inning, CU scored three runs to lead to 10-5 over ENMU. With just six outs remaining, Eastern mounted a comeback as both Fossum (6
th inning) and Vasquez (7
th inning) hit 2-run home runs, 10-9 CU. Eastern did get the tying run on base in the 7
th, but Cameron finished the game with a 10-9 win.
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NOTABLE STATS
- Both teams finished with 10 hits during the game, as Eastern hit three home runs, and Cameron had a pair of home runs. Each team finished with a pair of doubles, while the Greyhound defense turned one double play.
- Vasquez accounted for six home runs during the game, as three different Greyhounds finished with multiple hits. Along with the home runs from Fossom and Vasquez, Contreras and Lucero provided a double each.
- ENMU had three different pitchers take the circle, with relief pitcher Marissa Rodriguez taking the loss. Rodriguez tossed 4.2 innings, giving up seven hits and three runs. Cierra Smith faced the first four batters, while Jordan Rivera threw 2.2 innings with three runs allowed (one earned run) and just one hit.
- Taylor Serio earned their first victory of the season for the Aggies, allowing ten hits and nine earned runs, while striking out four batters.
- Vasquez recorded their first multi-home run game of the season, while Fossum produced their first long ball of the season.
Eastern continues the home schedule on Sunday, March 2, facing #18 Oklahoma Christian in a pair of games home. The doubleheader is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
