The Eastern New Mexico University softball team (20-36; LSC 10-20) honored its three seniors after it concluded the 2017 season on Sunday afternoon against seventh-ranked West Texas A&M. The Lady Buffs came away with a 9-1 victory at Greyhound Field. Second baseman Audrey Velasquez led off all three games this weekend for the Hounds with a hit, and started the finale with a double to left field.
After the contest, the Hounds honored seniors Velasquez, Susannah Chandler, and Katie Ripple for their contributions to the program. The season marked the first time since 2007 the Greyhounds posted 20 overall wins in a season, along with 10 Lone Star Conference victories. Velasquez closed the season on a five-game hitting streak, while Chandler leads the LSC with 126 assists. Ripple tossed the final inning of the finale for ENMU.
“I am proud of our seniors,” Head Coach Katie Welborn said. “I think they left everything out there, and played hard. We will miss those three tremendously, but we are so thankful to have had them here at ENMU to help build foundation.”
“I am proud of our seniors,” Head Coach Katie Welborn said. “I think they left everything out there, and played hard. We will miss those three tremendously, but we are so thankful to have had them here at ENMU to help build foundation.”
West Texas A&M capitalized on a Greyhound error top seize a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, but ENMU quickly responded. Designated player Kylee Keller led off the Greyhound second inning with a single and took second on a sacrifice bunt from Kamalani Peneku. One batter later, Keller scored to tie the game, when WT second baseman misplayed a ground ball from Cameron Conrad.
Ashley Hardin gave the Lady Buffs the lead for good with a one-out homer in the third inning. WT added four runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth, to end the game.
Zerr suffered the loss, but limited WT to no earned runs on one hit over the first two innings of play. Tiana Faagalulu drew a walk to reach base in her fifth straight game.