Athletic Report
April 26, 2001

ZIAS ARE READY FOR FIRST EVER
LSC TOURNAMENT APPEARANCE
PORTALES, NM — The Eastern New Mexico University softball team has a 32-10-1 record this season in just its fifth year of existence. ENMU, which won the Lone Star Conference South Division title at 12-2, is ready for its first ever LSC Tournament game on Friday, Apr. 27 at 3:00 p.m. (MDT).

The Zias will open tournament action at Southwest Park in Irving, Texas, against the winner of the first round game between Northeastern State University and Abilene Christian University. If the Zias win their first game, they will not play again until Saturday, Apr. 28 at 9:00 a.m. (MDT) in the winner’s bracket final.

If they lose their first game, the Zias will play a second game on Friday, starting at 5:00 p.m. (MDT). The championship game in the double-elimination tournament is set for 1:00 p.m. (MDT) on Saturday, Apr. 28. If the loser of Saturday’s first championship game has just one loss, another title game will be played at 3:00 p.m. (MDT) to ultimately decide the LSC title.

ENMU is tied for #20 in this week’s NCAA Division II Poll conducted by the National Faspitch Coaches Association (NFCA). It is ENMU’s first ever national ranking in softball. The Zias continue to be ranked third in the South Central Region of NCAA Division II. Four teams from each Region will qualify for the NCAA Division II National Tournament, which begins May 11-12 at eight Regional sites. There are no automatic bids, so the winner of the LSC Tournament is not guaranteed a berth in the National Tournament.

Senior pitcher Jennifer Harrer (Albuquerque, NM/Hope Christian H.S.) and junior third baseman Rachel Mohler (Las Vegas, NV/Green Valley H.S.) have led the Zias this season. They have helped ENMU rank 2nd in the LSC this season in hitting (.305 team batting average) and pitching (1.47 team ERA).

Harrer tops the ENMU pitching staff with an 18-5 record and a 0.95 ERA, both school records. She has also set records this season for strikeouts (161), appearances (31), complete games (16) and innings pitched (146 2/3). She has thrown 9 solo shutouts, while limiting opponents to a .176 batting average.

Mohler sits atop the Eastern New Mexico batting chart with a .401 average, 12 doubles, 7 homers and 32 runs scored. She is ENMU’s career leader in doubles with 42 and home runs with 27. She was named LSC South Co-Freshman-of-the-Year in 1998 and was LSC South Co-Player-of-the-Year in 2000.

Other key offensive threats for ENMU are catcher Sarah Rempp (Sr., Marshalltown, IA/ Greeley Central H.S.), shortstop Jessica Rowley (Jr., Dallas, OR/Clackamas C.C.), center fielder Kim Paschall (Midland, TX/Midland H.S.), left fielder Maegan Rhoten (Fr., Albuquerque, NM/ St. Pius X H.S.) and first baseman Dawn Murray (So., Carlsbad, NM/ Carlsbad H.S.).

Rempp has achieved a .331 batting average with 10 doubles, 1 triple and 6 home runs. She ranks second on the team with 31 RBIs, and has scored 30 runs. Rowley is third on the team with a .323 batting average. She has scored 31 runs, hit 3 homers and earned 20 RBIs. Paschall is hitting .306, and is 11 of 12 on stolen bases. Rhoten has hit 7 doubles and 5 homers to go with a .314 batting average. Murray is hitting .319 with 19 runs and 19 RBIs.

Murray, who also pitches for the Zias, has combined with Harrer to form one of the LSC’s top pitching tandems. She is 7-0 on the season with a 1.45 ERA over 67 2/3 innings. She has recorded 36 strikeouts this season.

ENMU has achieved its success through solid play in all aspects of the game. In addition to ranking second in the LSC in both hitting and pitching, the Zias also hold third place in the LSC on defense. ENMU owns a .960 fielding percentage. The Zias have turned 12 double plays.

Co-Head Coaches Kathleen Rodriguez and James Rodriguez have helped the ENMU softball team develop into a nationally recognized program. The Zias were 14-27 during the Rodriguez’s first season at ENMU in 1998, then went 25-25 in 1999. This year’s team earned Eastern’s first ever LSC South title, while finishing the regular season with the school’s first ever winning record.

Kathleen has been head coach at ENMU for three seasons. James, an assistant in 1999 and 2000, became a co-head coach for the Zias this year.