Athletic Report
May 8, 2001

ENMU SOFTBALL TEAM SELECTED
FOR NCAA DIVISION II NATIONAL TOURNAMENT
PORTALES, NM — The Eastern New Mexico University softball team, competing in just its fifth season of intercollegiate play, has been selected for the 2001 NCAA Division II National Tournament. ENMU is one of only 32 teams nationwide chosen to participate in the National Tournament. The Zias will compete in the South Central Regional, hosted by the University of Southern Colorado, May 11-12 in Pueblo, Colo.

Southern Colorado is seeded #1 for the Regional. Mesa State College (Colo.) is seeded #2, followed by ENMU at the #3 seed and St. Mary’s University (Texas) at the #4 seed. ENMU (34-12-1) will open the South Central Regional against Mesa State (41-10) at 10:00 a.m. (MDT) on Friday, May 11. Southern Colorado (52-12-1) and St. Mary’s (38-16) will play at 1:00 p.m. (MDT). The first round losers will play each other at 4:00 p.m. (MDT), with the first round winners meeting at 7:00 p.m. (MDT) to close out Friday’s schedule.

Action in the double-elimination Regional continues on Saturday, May 12. A loser’s bracket game will open the day at 11:00 a.m. (MDT). The winner will meet the remaining undefeated team at 2:00 p.m. (MDT). If the undefeated team wins the early afternoon game, it will be the Regional champion. If the undefeated team loses, another championship game will be played at 5:00 p.m. (MDT).

The South Central Regional champion will advance to the 8-team National Finals, May 17-21 at the James I. Moyer Sports Complex, in Salem, Va. Eastern New Mexico’s softball team has experienced great success this spring.

The Zias finished the regular season at 32-10-1 and won their first ever Lone Star Conference South Division title at 12-2. The Zias took second place at the LSC Tournament, April 27-28, in Irving, Texas.

Co-Head Coaches Kathleen and James Rodriguez were named LSC South Coaches-of-the-Year. Five ENMU players were named First Team All-LSC South. They were Jennifer Harrer (Sr., RHP, Albuquerque, NM/Hope Christian H.S.), Sarah Rempp (Sr., C, Marshalltown, IA/Greeley Central H.S., CO), Rachel Mohler (Jr., 3B, Las Vegas, NV/Green Valley H.S.), Maegan Rhoten (Fr., OF/1B/P, Albuquerque, NM/St. Pius X H.S.) and Kim Paschall (Sr., CF, Midland, TX/ Midland H.S.). Harrer was also named LSC South Pitcher-of-the-Year.

Junior shortstop Jessica Rowley (Dallas, OR/Clackamas C.C.) was named Second Team All-LSC South, while Dawn Murray (So., RHP/1B, Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad H.S.) and Alison Montbriand (Jr., 2B, Austin, TX/Hill College) were Honorable Mention selections. Rowley was selected LSC South Newcomer-of-the-Year.

Harrer leads the ENMU pitching staff with a 20-6 record and a 0.85 earned run average, setting ENMU single season records in both categories. She has established additional ENMU records this season for appearances (35), complete games (19), shutouts (14 total, 11 solo), innings pitched (173), strikeouts (178) and opponent batting average (.172). Murray owns a 7-2 record and a 1.49 ERA this season. She has pitched in 15 games, with 12 starts. She has struck out 37 batters in 70 2/3 innings. Harrer has a career record of 42-32 with a school record 395 strikeouts in four seasons at ENMU.

Murray is 11-2 and has struck out 64 batters in two seasons with the Zias.

ENMU’s offense is led by Mohler, who tops the Zias with a .417 batting average. Mohler also leads the team with 63 hits, 14 doubles and 7 home runs. She owns a team-high .649 slugging percentage, and is tied for the team lead with 33 runs scored. She is tied for second on the team with 31 RBIs. In three seasons at ENMU, she has set career records with 44 doubles and 27 home runs. She has earned a .403 career batting average.

Rempp is second on the team with a .331 batting average. She has scored 30 runs and has provided 31 RBIs. She has connected for 11 doubles, 1 triple and 6 home runs. She holds an ENMU career record with 117 RBIs, and ranks second all-time with 100 runs, 18 homers and 178 hits.

Rowley has achieved a .299 batting average with 33 runs and 20 RBIs. She has started all 47 games, and leads the team with 282 putouts. She has a .986 fielding percentage. Rowley played for the ENMU volleyball team this past fall, and helped the Zias earn a 26-11 overall record on their way to the semifinals of the LSC Tournament.

Rhoten, hitting .296, and Paschall, with a .286 batting average, have made significant contributions on offense. Rhoten has provided 7 doubles and 5 home runs, while Paschall has recorded a team-high 4 triples to go with 6 doubles and 1 homer. Paschall has been successful on 12 of 13 stolen base attempts this season. Montbriand has been a key defensive addition for the Zias. She has started all 47 games at second base, and has provided a .965 fielding percentage.

Other players who have seen action in at least 30 games this year are Suzy Seitzinger (Sr., RF/P, Bloomfield, NM/Bloomfield H.S.), Dalia Flores (Jr., C/IF, Allen, TX/Vernon Regional J.C.), Karena Martinez (Fr., DP/OF, Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad H.S.) and Diana Sedgwick (Fr., LF, San Antonio, TX/Taft H.S.).

Seitzinger has scored 17 runs, earned 12 RBIs and hit 2 homers. Flores has scored 6 times, while driving in 9 runs. Martinez has supplied a .287 batting average, with 23 RBIs and 4 doubles. Sedgwick has hit .320, with 8 hits in 25 at bats.

The Zias have hit .295 as a team with 231 runs scored (4.9 average) and a school record 27 home runs. ENMU’s pitching staff has achieved a 1.38 team ERA with 257 strikeouts in 315 1/3 innings pitched. The Zias have limited opponents to a .214 batting average and 91 runs scored (1.9 average).

In addition to Rowley and Montbriand, the Zias have four other players who have started all 47 games during the 2001 season. They are Mohler, Rempp, Murray and Rhoten.

Harrer and Murray have led the ENMU pitching staff, but have received quality support from Lauren King (Fr., RHP, La Mirada, CA/La Serna H.S.), Seitzinger and Rhoten. King is 5-2 on the season with a 2.10 ERA, while Seitzinger is 1-1 and Rhoten is 1-2.

Eastern New Mexico, ranked #20 in NCAA Division II, has achieved a 73-64-1 record since Kathleen and James Rodriguez joined the coaching staff in 1998-99. The Zias’ 34-12-1 record this season, includes 16 shutouts victories, plus a 0-0 tie with nationally-ranked West Florida at the UWF Classic. ENMU has won 11 of its last 13 games.