PORTALES, N.M. – The Eastern New Mexico softball team will face off with Western New Mexico in a three-game series on the road in Silver City, N.M. Mexico this weekend.
The Hounds and Mustangs will play a single game Friday afternoon scheduled for a noon start and will finish up the series with a doubleheader beginning at noon on Saturday. Eastern currently sits in ninth place with a conference record of 6-15 on the season and will be looking for its ninth consecutive win over Western New Mexico.
Eastern New Mexico has just three series remaining on the 2019 season and will surely need to come away victorious in each series as well as have a bit of help to secure one of the six available spots in the LSC Postseason Tournament. The Hounds are currently 4.5 games back of Angelo State, who currently holds the sixth spot in the LSC standings.
LAST TIME OUT
The Greyhounds challenged the ninth-ranked West Texas A&M in a three-game series at home last week, but were unfortunately swept by scores of 10-7, 15-0, and 9-5.
In the opening game of the series last Friday, the Hounds jumped on the Lady Buffs with a run in the first inning on an Iliana Mendoza RBI groundout, giving Eastern the 1-0 edge. After WTAMU scored four unanswered, the Greyhounds battled back with a three-run fifth inning featuring a Samantha Brockman RBI single and a Jennifer McElroy RBI double to left to tie the game back up at 4-4.
West Texas A&M scored four runs in the sixth and two runs in the seventh to reclaim a six-run edge, but McElroy crushed a three-run bomb over the left field fence in the bottom of the seventh to narrow the gap 10-7. However, the Lady Buffs were able to hold on for the win after recording three straight outs following a Haleigh Behncke walk.
The Hounds tested West Texas A&M once again in the second game of the Saturday doubleheader. After the Lady Buffs were able to extend their advantage to 5-1 in the top of the sixth, the Hounds put together a massive rally in the bottom of the frame. Following a Brockman leadoff walk, McElroy smashed her second home run of the series to left, cutting the deficit to 5-3. Later in the inning, Lauren Likes bashed the game-tying two-run homer to left with two outs to make it a 5-5 game. Unfortunately, the Lady Buffs responded with a four-run inning of their own in the seventh to pull away with the victory.
SCOUTING THE MUSTANGS
Western New Mexico comes into the weekend with a 4-27 record overall and a 3-18 mark in Lone Star Conference play. The Mustangs were swept last week at No. 5 Texas A&M-Kingsville in three consecutive shutouts, 8-0, 9-0 and 8-0.
The Mustangs have struggled from the circle this season, ranking last in the Lone Star with an 11.52 ERA and are averaging just 1.5 strikeouts per game while opponents are hitting .399 with 62 home runs. The Western bats have also had their struggles from the plate this season, ranking second-to-last with a .247 batting average and have scored the third-fewest runs with 120.
Despite WNMU’s offensive struggles, senior outfielder Ariana Maldonado has performed well from the plate, leading the team with a .355 batting average while tied for the team lead with 24 runs and six homers while ranking second on the squad with 21 runs batted in. Redshirt sophomore infielder Alicia Habitzreuther has been the team’s best run producer with 24 RBIs and is tied for the team lead with six home runs. Julia Vega has been the Mustangs top pitcher this season, appearing in 22 games and making 15 starts while recording a 9.42 ERA and a team-leading 23 strikeouts.
TRENDING UP
Despite Western New Mexico leading the all-time series with a 30-13-1 record since 1998, the Greyhounds have controlled the series for the past decade. The Hounds have won eight straight against the Mustangs dating back to 2009 with Eastern’s last loss coming on Apr. 1, 2009. Since Western joined the Lone Star in 2017, the Hounds have won all six matchups including 2-1, 9-1, and 7-5 wins at home last season. The last time ENMU played in Silver City, the Greyhounds pulled out wins by scores of 10-2, 8-7, and 4-2 during the 2017 campaign.
TAKING THE REIGNS
Senior pitcher Kimberly Herron will be looking to pick up where she left off last season against the Mustangs. Herron picked up a win after giving up just one unearned run on one hit with six strikeouts in five innings of work in Eastern’s 9-1 victory on Feb. 17, 2018. While getting a no-decision after starting the final game of the series, Hanna Gary won the game in relief after throwing two shutout innings after giving just two hits while striking out two in a 7-5 win on Feb. 18, 2018.
POWER SURGE
Sophomore outfielder Jennifer McElroy has been finding her power bat the last few weeks for the Greyhounds. Since March 26, McElroy has crushed four home runs in the last eight games with a 1.000 slugging percentage. Two of those homers came in the West Texas A&M series, as McElroy went 4-for-10 from the plate with six RBIs and a 1.100 slugging percentage. McElroy currently leads the team with five home runs this season after finishing second on the team with eight home runs a year ago.
BROCKMAN BRINGING IT
Elevating her batting average 31 points to .253, Samantha Brockman put together a solid series from the plate for the Greyhounds against the Lady Buffs. Brockman slashed .500 after going 5-for-10 while scoring a team-high four runs in the series. Brockman snapped out of a major slump from the plate in the series as she went 31 consecutive at-bats without a hit before her RBI single in the fifth inning of the Friday game.
