Game Recap: Softball | 4/30/2022 10:00:00 PM | Cameron Brennan

Eastern New Mexico Softball ended its 2022 campaign with a split against West Texas A&M University on Saturday afternoon at Greyhound Softball Field. The Hounds came away with game one with a 3-2 win but fell in game two 7-1 against the Lady Buffs. The Hounds miss out on the postseason tournament by way of a tiebreaker. The Greyhounds end the season at 18-30, with a LSC record of 9-21. WT move to 28-15 on the season, with an LSC record of 17-13 heading into the conference tournament.

GAME ONE: ENMU 3, WT 2

The Hounds wasted no time at the plate in the first inning, to go ahead 1-0. Azalea Martinez started things off with a double down the left field line in the leadoff spot. Sierra Wooley then moved Martinez to third base on a sacrifice bunt. Brook Leger stepped into the batter’s box and drilled a hard-hit ball at the second baseman, sending Martinez to the plate on the fielder’s choice for a 1-0 lead.

Eastern came back for more runs in the second inning. Maite Bustillos started things with an infield single, and Edyn Lopez advanced Bustillos to second base on a sacrifice bunt. Mackenzie Shaw  sent a ball up the middle to score Bustillos from second as Eastern grew its lead to 2-0.

WT ended the no hit bid in the third inning, along with its scoreless effort with a run. A two-out bunt put a base runner on and moved into scoring position on a stolen base. That run came around to score after a single up the middle to cut the lead to 2-1 ENMU. However, Eastern took that run back in the next half inning. Wooley began the inning with a single up the middle and stole second base to move into scoring position. Jokaira Paredes sent a ball back up the middle and Wooley was waved around third to score, as the Hounds moved ahead 3-1.

Defensively the Hounds made things difficult at the plate for the Lady Buffs, popping up in the right defensive positions to make the plays need. After a clean fourth and fifth inning, the Lady Buffs gathered their second run of the contest in the sixth inning. A double followed by a single scored the second run of the contest. WT was knocking on the door for more runs with two runners on and one out, but a line out to third base and a deep flyout to left field ended the inning for the Greyhounds.

Going into the top of the seventh, the Lady Buffs trailed one run and started the inning with a leadoff walk. However, the Hounds defense turned an important double play to prevent any worry. With a runner on first, a bunt was fielded by Leger and recorded the first out at first with Lopez covering. Lopez then fired over to third base and cut down the runner trying to extend to third after advancing to second, clearing the bases with two outs. Leger induced a groundout to end the game as Eastern came away with a 3-2 win over WT.

NOTABLE STATS

• The Hounds out hit the Lady Buffs 6-5, with six different batters collecting a hit. Paredes and Shaw collected a hit and an RBI in the game, while Martinez, Wooley, and Bustillos scored and registered a hit.
• Leger tossed a complete game effort in the win for the Greyhounds. In seven innings, Leger allowed five hits, two runs, and two walks, while recording four strikeouts.
• Heidi Vortherms finished the contest with six hits allowed for WT, giving up three runs with four K’s in the loss.

GAME TWO: WT 7, ENMU 1

West Texas A&M jumped all over the Hounds pitching in the first two frames of game two. WT scored three runs in the first inning and four runs in the second frame to hold a 7-0 lead after two completed innings. In those opening two innings, the Lady Buffs posted seven hits with six extra base hits.

The Eastern bats connected with their first hit of the game in the third inning, as Lopez singled back up the middle. ENMU couldn’t take advantage of the base runner, as the Lady Buffs defense got out of the inning. The Greyhounds showed their defensive ability in the fourth inning, turning an inning ending 5-4 double play. With a runner on first and second, Ashlee Lucero handled a hard grounder at third base, tagged third and fired over to second base to end the inning.

As. Lucero turned another double play in the sixth inning for the Hounds defense to end the inning. With a runner on first and one out, Lucero fielded a line drive back at them and threw out the runner at first base trying to get back to the bag. The Greyhounds offense strung together its first run in the sixth inning. A two out single from Wooley put a runner on and a hit by pitch added another runner on the bases. Paredes punched a single up the middle to end the West Texas A&M shutout as Wooley scored, 7-1 WT.

A 1-2-3 inning for both teams ended the seventh inning with the visiting Lady Buffs taking game two, 7-1.

NOTABLE STATS

• The Greyhounds finished the game with four hits, coming from the bats of Wooley (2), Paredes (1), and Lopez (1). Paredes secured the lone RBI for the Hounds.
• ENMU had five pitchers enter the game, with Lisette Urquidez taking the loss in 0.1 innings of action. Taylor Harrison (0.0 IP), Jordan Bowman (1.0 IP), Jennifer Gress (2.2 IP), and Leger (3.0 IP) all entered the circle during the game.
• Emilee Wilson picked up the win in five strong innings, allowing just two hits and no runs. Kyra Lair, Halle Lytal, and Emma Parrish combined for the final two innings, collectively allowing one run on two hits.

FROM THE SOURCE

“TODAY WAS A GREAT SPLIT WITH A VERY COMPETITIVE WEST TEXAS A&M PROGRAM,” SAID HEAD SOFTBALL COACH AMANDA FEFEL. “THE TEAM CAME OUT WITH A FIGHTING MENTALITY LOOKING TO SCORE EARLY AND STAY AHEAD EACH INNING. WE PLAYED TREMENDOUS FUNDAMENTAL SOFTBALL ON BOTH SIDES OF THE BALL,” SAID FEFEL. “WE EXECUTED IN BUNT SITUATIONS WHICH ALLOWED OUR RUNNERS TO GET IN SCORING POSITION AND TIMELY BASE HITS UP THE MIDDLE ALLOWED US TO GET ON THE BOARD EARLY. BROOK (LEGER) PITCHED A VERY WELL EXECUTED WITH BOTH MOVEMENT AND CHANGE OF SPEEDS WORKING IN HER FAVOR,” SAID FEFEL. “DEFENSIVELY, WE HAD A LOT OF HEADS UP PLAYS THAT GOT US OUT OF INNINGS WHERE THEY HAD RUNNERS IN SCORING POSITION. THE ENERGY WAS HIGH THROUGHOUT THE DAY, ESPECIALLY WHILE CELEBRATING SENIOR DAY FOR MAITE (BUSTILLOS) AND SIERRA (WOOLEY),” SAID FEFEL. “THESE YOUNG LADIES HAVE BEEN A TRUE IMPACT TO OUR PROGRAM AND HAS ALL OF THE QUALITIES THAT ENMU SOFTBALL IS ABOUT. THEY WILL BE TRULY MISSED, BUT I KNOW THEY WILL DO AMAZING THINGS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE CAREERS,” SAID FEFEL. “OVERALL, THIS YEAR HAS BEEN NOTHING SHORT OF A TRUE TURNAROUND AND THIS IS A TESTAMENT TO ALL OF OUR PLAYERS HARD WORK AND DEDICATION TO WANTING TO BE BETTER DAY IN AND DAY OUT. I AM EXTREMELY EXCITED FOR THE FUTURE OF ENMU SOFTBALL AND WHAT WE HAVE TO BRING TO THE TABLE NEXT YEAR,”SAID FEFEL. “BEING ONE GAME OUT OF PLAYOFFS AND IN CONTENTION TO GET IN WITH A THREE-WAY TIE IS OUR BUILDING BLOCK AND MOTIVATION FOR NEXT SEASON”.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• The Hounds finished the season tied for 10^th place in LSC standings, but miss the postseason based on tiebreakers. 18 wins is the most for the program since 2018.
• Wooley ended the season with nine multi-hit games, tied for the team lead.
• Leger picked up their 11^th win of the season, which is tied for ninth all-time in the single season records. Leger’s 169 strikeouts finished a top the regular season charts in the LSC and was the second most in a single season by a Greyhound pitcher. In terms of ERA, a 3.10 ERA is the seventh lowest mark in a single season in Greyhound history.
• Eastern end its season with a record of 18-30, and 9-21 in LSC play. Compared to 2021, Eastern finished the campaign at 4-27 with a 4-26 record. Both Bustillos and Wooley were honored as part of senior day before the start of game one.