PORTALES, N.M. – Eastern New Mexico Softball (14-8, 7-5 LSC) earned a series split with #18 Oklahoma Christian, following a 6-0 shutout on Sunday afternoon at Greyhound Softball Field. The #18 Eagles took the opening game, 10-0 (6 Inn.), then the Greyhounds returned the favor with a shutout in the series finale.
GAME ONE: #18 OC 10, ENMU 0 (6 Inn.)
Oklahoma Christian took a 4-0 advantage in the opening inning with just one swing. With two outs, the Eagles worked three straight walks, then the next batter took a ball over the fence to take an early lead. ENMU led off the next half inning with a single, but OC stranded the runner on base to get out of the inning.
Both teams were playing solid defense with hits not coming for either side. However, Oklahoma Christian broke open the game with six runs in the 6
th inning to go up 10-0. OC scored the runs from eight hits in the frame, finding five straight hits with two outs to increase the scoring. ENMU loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning, but a line out double play, and a fielder's choice ended the game for Oklahoma Christian.
NOTABLE STATS
- Aylene Lucero and Valeria Contreras each recorded infield singles for the Greyhounds, while ENMU drew a pair of walks and a hit by pitch in the 6th inning.
- Defensively, Contreras turned a 6-3 double play and Ramona Fossum caught one runner stealing during the game from behind the plate.
- Miranda Guillen allowed four runs on three hits and five walks in the loss, with Marissa Rodriguez pitching 3.1 innings of relief, allowing six runs, while Ciara Loken faced two batters.
- Grace Anderson got the win, allowing just two hits over five innings and striking out five batters. Payten Schibbelhute faced three batters, while Kadence Brewster got the final three outs of the game.
GAME TWO: ENMU 6, #18 OC 0
Both teams were playing solid defense over the first few innings, with Oklahoma Christian stringing together the first opportunity in the 3
rd inning. After two singles and a sacrifice bunt, Eastern defused another sacrifice bunt attempt, then starting pitcher
Jordan Rivera struck out the side to escape the inning. The next inning, ENMU pushed home the first run with a solo blast from Fossum to give ENMU a 1-0 lead.
The Greyhounds came back for more in the 5
th frame, scoring a pair of runs on two out hitting.
Madison Begaye reached on a hit by pitch, then
Samyrah Sanders stole second after pinch running for Begaye. After moving to third,
Alondra Vasquez looped a single into left to bring home Sanders. A single moved Vasquez into scoring position, then
Grace Rofii singled past a diving first baseman to score the Greyhounds third run of the game. After working out of a bases loaded jam in the top of the 6
th, Eastern doubled its lead with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Contreras singled a run home, then
Christina Meneses brought home two runs on a bases loaded single. Eastern recorded the final three outs, completing the shutout win.
NOTABLE STATS
- The Greyhounds out-hit the Eagles, 9-6, led by a 3-3 day from Fossum. Both Vasquez and Meneses finished with two hits each, while Meneses had a team high two RBIs.
- ENMU had two stolen bases, while Fossum had the lone extra base hit during the game.
- Rivera held the Eagles to just five singles during the complete game victory. Throwing all seven innings, Rivera struck out six batters and worked around five walks.
- Jill Dickson pitched 5.2 innings, being charged with all six runs, allowing eight hits with six strikeouts.
- Eastern earned their first victory over a nationally ranked this season, while earning a first ever home split with OC.
- The win marked the second ever home shutout against Oklahoma Christian, while being the first shutout against a nationally ranked team in the Amanda Fefel era.
Eastern travels on the road next weekend to conclude play against the East Division, facing #1 UT Tyler and Texas Woman's over the weekend. ENMU starts the weekend on Friday, March 6 against #1 UT Tyler in Tyler, with the doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. (MST).
