GOODWELL, OKLA. – The Eastern New Mexico University softball team (20-33) exploded for 27 runs to sweep Wednesday’s doubleheader at Oklahoma Panhandle State (11-34). Junior first baseman Erikka Burke homered in the opener to move into a tie for second on the ENMU single-season list, en-route to a 13-5 win. The Hounds also picked up a 14-11 win in the nightcap at Aggie Field.

The wins contrasted with a 6-1 setback against the Aggies back in February, which saw the Hounds limited to three hits. The wins snapped a two-game skid in the series and moved ENMU to 34-14 in the overall series and 17-4 in road games. With her 13 homer of the season, Burke moved into a tie with Tina Whitt (2006) for second on the ENMU single-season list. She also moved into sole possession of third place on the career list at 22.
First Game
Two outs into the opener, Susannah Chandler and Ashley Lopez drew walks, before Tiana Faagalulu’s RBI single game Eastern the lead. Courtney Vigil followed with a two-run double to expand the Hounds’ lead. The Aggies managed to score twice in the bottom of the frame, but Eastern batted around in the second inning. A leadoff walk to Precious Aguirre followed by back-to-back doubles from Audrey Velasquez and Burke pushed the lead to 5-2. Kamalani Peneku was struck by a pitch with the bases loaded to give Eastern another run before the inning ended.
Eastern added four runs in the third inning and three more in the fourth to seize a 13-2 lead. Burke’s two-run homer came with one out in the fourth inning. OPSU managed three runs in the bottom of the fifth, but the game ended due to ENMU’s eight-run advantage.
Kaylee Rogers scattered 10 hits and fanned seven batters to garner her 15th win of the season. Burke batted three-for-four, scored three runs and drove in four. Vigil batted three-for-three. Julia Ibarra suffered the loss for the Aggies, and allowed 10 runs over three innings.
Second Game
Vigil continued to wield a hot bat for the Hounds and batted three-for-five in the nightcap. She got the offensive fireworks started with a two-out, two-run single in the top of the first to give Eastern the lead. Panhandle managed to cut the deficit in half on Madison Heathington’s first inning homer.
Eastern capitalized on an Aggie error in the fourth inning, sent nine batters to the plate and scored four runs to take a 6-1 lead. Burke and Chandler both had RBI singles in the inning. OPSU responded with two runs in the bottom of the fourth, before both teams exploded in the fifth inning.
Eastern sent 12 batters to the plate and scored eight runs on five hits, while capitalizing on three errors. Cameron Conrad delivered a two-run triple during the inning to score Peneku and Katie Ripple. The Aggies also sent 12 batters to the plate in the bottom of the inning and scored seven runs to pull within 14-10.
Kiana Zerr went four innings to notch the win for the Greyhounds, while Ripple tossed 1.1 innings of relief. Rogers notched her second save of the season and allowed just one hit over the final 1.2 innings. Conrad batted three-for-three with a double, triple, and pair of RBIs. Faagalulu, Lopez, and Burke each had two hits.
Up Next
The Eastern New Mexico University softball team will conclude the regular season next weekend with a Lone Star Conference series against West Texas A&M. The teams will open with a Friday doubleheader at 1 p.m. MST.