Athletic Report
April 21, 2001

ZIAS SWEEP WILDCATS 10-6 AND 4-0
ENMU Concludes Regular Season at 32-10-1
PORTALES, NM — Eastern New Mexico, which clinched the Lone Star Conference South Division title with two wins over Abilene Christian on Friday, April 20, completed a 4-game sweep of the Wildcats on Saturday, April 21, defeating ACU 10-6 and 4-0 at Zia Softball Field. ENMU concluded the regular season with a 32-10-1 overall record, including 12-2 in the LSC South. ACU fell to 20-20 overall, 8-8 in the LSC South.

As the LSC South Division champion, ENMU will receive a bye in the first round of the double-elimination LSC Tournament, set for April 27-28 in Irving, Texas. South Division foes Tarleton State and ACU also qualified for the tournament. The LSC South title is ENMU’s first in its five seasons of intercollegiate softball competition.

The LSC Tournament will also feature three teams from the North Divison — Southeastern Oklahoma, Southwestern Oklahoma and Northeastern State. Official tournament seedings and pairings will be announced on Monday, April 23 by the LSC office.

In Saturday’s double-header against ACU, the Zias scored 10 runs on 13 hits in the opening game. Kim Paschall (Sr., OF, Midland, TX/Midland H.S.) and Jessica Rowley (Jr., SS, Dallas, OR/Clackamas C.C.) each led the way for ENMU with 3 hits in 4 at bats. Rowley pounded a 2-run homer to left field in the fourth inning and doubled in the sixth inning. Paschall drove in two runs with a double down the left field line in the fifth inning.

In the second game, Jennifer Harrer (Sr., RHP, Albuquerque, NM/Hope Christian H.S.) tossed a complete-game, 4-hit shutout for ENMU. It was the ninth complete-game shutout of the season for Harrer, who upped her pitching record to 18-5 with the win. ACU led early in the first game 1-0 and 2-1. Melissa Williams started the scoring when she doubled to center field with two out in the first inning, then scored on a single by Lynnee Velasco.

ENMU tied the game in the bottom of the inning, as Paschall hit an infield single and scored on throwing errors by the pitcher and the right fielder. The Wildcats moved back in front on Misty Pryer’s RBI single in the second inning.

The Zias moved in front for good by scoring twice in the third inning. Paschall singled, stole second, and advanced to third on a throwing error. Maegan Rhoten (Fr., OF/1B/P, Albuquerque, NM/St. Pius X H.S.) brought Paschall home with a sacrifice fly. Rachel Mohler (Jr., 3B, Las Vegas, NV/Green Valley H.S.) reached second on a two-base error in left field and Rowley reached first on an error by the shortstop. Karena Martinez (Fr., DH/OF, Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad H.S.) singled later in the inning to score Mohler from third base.

Eastern New Mexico increased its lead to 8-2 with 3 runs in the fourth inning and another 2 runs in the fifth. An RBI single by Mohler, plus Rowley’s homer, drove in the fourth-inning runs. Paschall’s double was the key hit in the fifth inning.

ACU scored twice in the sixth inning on a double to right center by Robin Woodall, but Eastern countered with two runs of its own in the bottom of the stanza. Suzy Seitzinger (Sr., OF, Bloomfield, NM/Bloomfield H.S.) drove in one run with a sacrifice fly to foul territory in left field, and Dawn Murray (So., P/1B, Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad H.S.) supplied the other RBI with a single through the infield.

Third baseman J.D. Williams produced ACU’s final two runs with two outs in the seventh inning, on a homer to left field. The next batter, Alicia Ortiz, flied out to second base to end the game.

Murray, the starting pitcher for ENMU, improved to 7-0 on the season. She pitched the first 5 1/3 innings, before giving way to Seitzinger, who recorded the final five outs. All of the scoring in the second game occurred in the first two inning. ENMU tallied two runs in each stanza to give Harrer more than enough support to complete the 4-game sweep.

ENMU connected for three singles in the first stanza, including an RBI hit to right field by Sarah Rempp (Sr., C, Marshalltown, IA/Greeley Central H.S., CO). Mohler, who reached on a fielder’s choice earlier in the inning, scored the game’s first run. The other run scored when Rowley stole home after Rempp threatened to steal second, but pulled up between the bases. In the second inning, Dalia Flores (Jr., DP/C, Allen, TX/Vernon Regional J.C.) was hit by a pitch and Murray hit a 2-run homer to left field. It was the third homer of the season for Murray, who entered the game with a .304 batting average.

Harrer did not give up an extra-base hit in recording the shutout. She registered 3 strikeouts and walked just 1 batter. Harrer increased her ENMU record for strikeouts in a season to 161. She also extended her single season records for innings pitched (146 2/3) and victories (18), and set new records for appearances (31) and complete games (16).

Top hitters in the double-header for ENMU were Rowley and Murray, who both finished the day 4 for 7. Diana Sedgwick (Fr., OF, San Antonio, TX/Taft H.S.) was 2 of 3 with 2 runs scored in the first game. ACU was led by Velasco, who earned 4 hits in 6 at bats.