Athletic Report
April 8, 2000

ZIAS PLACE THIRD AT OKLAHOMA CITY TOURNAMENT
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK -- The Eastern New Mexico University softball team took second place in pool play, then defeated Oklahoma Christian University, 2-0, to take third place overall, at the Oklahoma City University Tournament, Apr. 7-8 at OCU.

The Zias won 4 of 6 games during the event, which featured 12 teams from throughout the region. The Zias defeated Central Oklahoma, Missouri Baptist and Northwood (Texas) in pool play, but lost to St. Gregory’s and Oklahoma Panhandle State.

Oklahoma Christian also took second place in its pool. The top two finishers in each 6-team pool advanced to the playoffs, with the pool winners facing off for first place and the runners-up meeting for third place.

All of Eastern’s games, except the win over Northwood, were ended by a tournament time limit (1 hour, 20 minutes). The Northwood game ended in five innings on the run rule.

The NCAA Softball Committee has ruled that time limit games do not count. All games must be decided by the run rule or last seven innings. ENMU’s record was officially 19-21 after the tournament.

In the first game of the tournament, the Zias defeated Lone Star Conference rival Central Oklahoma, 10-4. Eastern led 3-1 after one inning, as Suzy Seitzinger (Jr., OF, Bloomfield, NM/ Bloomfield H.S.) and Dawn Hunt (Fr., P/1B, Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad H.S.) each drove in one run with a single to left field. April Ferrall scored the Lady Bronchos’ run on a solo homer.

The Zias increased their lead to 4-1 in the second stanza, when Enida Rosales (Sr., 2B, Glendale, AZ/South Mountain College) singled, then scored on a two-out triple by Sarah Rempp (Jr., SS, Greeley, CO/Central H.S.).

UCO battled back to tie the game, 4-4, by scoring once in the fourth and twice in the fifth. ENMU pulled away with a 6-run sixth inning that included five consecutive singles, a walk and two errors.

Hunt was the winning pitcher. The game was ended after UCO failed to score in the bottom of the sixth.

ENMU lost a low-scoring game to St. Gregory’s, 2-1. Kim Paschall (Jr., CF, Midland, TX/ Midland H.S.) gave the Zias a 1-0 lead by scoring in the second inning after receiving a walk to begin the stanza. St. Gregory’s evened the score in the bottom of the second, then took the lead with one run in the fifth.

ENMU outhit St. Gregory’s, 6-4, during the game, but the Zias were unable to score the tying run. The game was ended after 5 1/2 innings.

The Zias scored a run in the sixth inning to edge Missouri Baptist, 3-2, in the next game. Nicole Archibeque (Fr., LF/RF, Albuquerque, NM/Valley H.S) hit an infield single to drive in Hunt with the winning run.

ENMU and St. Gregory’s were tied 1-1 after one inning, as Rachel Mohler (So., 3B, Las Vegas, NV/Green Valley H.S.) singled and scored for the Zias. Rosales crossed the plate during the second inning, giving ENMU a 2-1 lead.

Missouri Baptist knotted the game, 2-2, when Link singled and later scored in the fifth stanza. After the Zias moved in front, pitcher Jennifer Harrer (Jr., Albuquerque, NM/Hope Christian H.S.) retired three batters in a row in the sixth inning.The game was ended prior to the start of the seventh.

Against Panhandle State, the Zias led 1-0 in the second, on a run by Rachel Valenzuela (Jr., C, Mesa, AZ/South Mountain College). The Lady Aggies took away the lead in the fifth, as Tiara Kissam and JoJo Levchik tallied for OPSU.

Paschall walked to open the sixth inning. She stole second base, and eventually crossed home plate on a double by Natalie Barela (Sr., 1B, Tempe, AZ/Phoenix College). The game was still tied, 2-2, when Kissam hit a solo home run with two outs in the bottom of the sixth. The time limit was called immediately after Kissam’s homer.

The Zias completed pool play with a 9-0 rout of Northwood. Harrer led the way by pitching a no-hitter. She gave up one walk, and hit one batter, but recorded 8 strikeouts and faced just 16 batters in the 5-inning, run-rule game.

ENMU took charge against Northwood with 5 runs in the second inning. Rempp, Barela, Hunt, Rosales and Kristy Jones (Fr., RF, Artesia, NM/New Mexico State) all singled during the offensive surge.

The Zias added two runs in the fourth and two in the fifth to achieve the final score. Rosales doubled and scored in the fourth, and Rempp repeated the accomplishment in the fifth.

Harrer also pitched in the third place game against Oklahoma Christian. She provided the Zias with a 3-hitter, and struck out 3 batters in the 5-inning game. Harrer earned a 3-0 record during the tournament.

ENMU matched Oklahoma Christian with 3 hits, but the Zias managed just one hit — a double by Jones — during the first four innings. Hunt singled, and Jones doubled again, as the Zias scored the game’s only runs in the fifth inning.

Hunt crossed the plate with the first run when Archibeque reached on an error. Archibeque scored the second run on Jones’ double.

The Zias return home to take on the University of Texas-Permian Basin on Tuesday, Apr. 11. Game time for the double-header at Zia Softball Field is set for 1:00 p.m. (MDT).