Athletic Report
March 7, 2002

RHOTEN HITS GRAND SLAM AND RICHARDSON HOMERS TWICE, AS ZIAS SWEEP SKYHAWKS
PORTALES, NM – Maegan Rhoten (So., RHP/1B/LF, Albuquerque, NM/St. Pius X H.S.) blasted a grand slam in the first inning of the opening game, then threw a complete-game 7-hitter in the second game, as Eastern New Mexico University swept a double-header from Fort Lewis College, 10-6 and 9-4, March 7 at Zia Softball Field.

Bobby Richardson (Fr., UT, Kerrville, TX/Tivy H.S.) hit two home runs for ENMU in the second game, as the Zias finished 4-0 in their 4-game series with the Skyhawks. The Zias, ranked #8 in NCAA Division II, improved to 14-8 on the season. Fort Lewis fell to 8-16 overall.

Rhoten earned 4 hits in 7 at bats during the double-header. The grand slam was her second homer run of the season. She leads the Zias with 21 RBIs in 22 games played. Richardson, who went 4 for 5 on the day, improved her batting average to .476 for the season. She scored 5 runs and drove in 4 runs during the twinbill.

ENMU shot out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning of the opening game. Sarah Ramirez (Fr., OF, San Antonio, TX/Providence H.S.) doubled to right center to start the inning. Richardson reached base on an error by shortstop Kate Hubert, then Rachel Mohler (Sr., 3B/1B, Las Vegas, NV/Green Valley H.S.) was hit by a pitch. Ramirez was thrown out at home on a fielder’s choice for the first out, but Hubert mishandled a short dribbler on the next play, and Richardson scored from third. Rhoten followed with her grand slam.

The Skyhawks answered with 3 runs in the top of the second. Bonnie Mathews doubled to open the inning. Shanna Schwarz batted second, and pounded a 2-run homer to left. One out later, Francine Amador got to first base on a fielding error. She eventually scored on a double by Hubert. Neither team scored again until the fifth inning, when the Zias posted five more runs.

Mohler had the big hit of the inning, a bases-clearing triple that landed just fair midway down the right field line, then rolled deep into foul territory. Richardson, Ramirez and Alison Montbriand (Sr., 2B, Austin, TX/Hill College) scored on the play. Lauren King (So., RHP, La Mirada, CA/La Serna H.S.), who replaced Dawn Murray (Jr., RHP, Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad H.S.) on the mound during the second inning, reached on a fielder’s choice in the fifth. She scored the first run of the inning on a single by Ramirez. Mohler scored the final run on a wild pitch.

The stanza also featured a two-out triple by Jessica Rowley (Sr., SS, Dallas, OR/Clackamas C.C.) with the bases empty. Fort Lewis scored three runs, credited to King, in the seventh inning. Katina Arocha (Jr., RHP, San Antonio, TX/Lon Morris J.C.) took over the pitching duties with two outs and runners at second and third. She forced Schwarz into a ground out to end the game. King improved to 7-2 with the win, while Arocha picked up her first save.

Fort Lewis pitcher Mishel Kitzman dropped to 1-6 on the year. Eastern took another early lead in the second game by scoring three times in the first inning. All three runs scored on a bases-loaded error by the Skyhawks when Murray hit an infield pop-up down the third base line. Three players went to catch the ball, but it fell untouched before hitting one of the FLC players in fair territory. Kelly Craven, the catcher, picked up the ball, but her throw sailed well over the head of first baseman Stephanie Schlieman. Richardson, Mohler and Rhoten scored on the play.

Craven provided the Skyhawks with an RBI single in the second inning, and Schwarz added an RBI single in the third inning, as Fort Lewis cut Eastern’s lead to 3-2. The Zias recorded one run in the bottom of the third inning when Richardson opened the stanza with a solo homer.The Zias held FLC scoreless over the next three innings. Meanwhile, the ENMU offense produced a run in the fifth inning and four runs in the sixth.

Richardson doubled and scored in the fifth on a single by Rhoten. Dalia Flores (Sr., C, Allen, TX/Vernon Regional J.C.) led off the sixth inning with her first homer of the year. Richardson blasted a 3-run homer to left field later in the stanza, as Eastern increased its lead to 9-2. Fort Lewis scored two runs on a home run to center field by Mathews with one out in the top of the seventh inning. Schwarz grounded out and Amador struck out to end the game.

Rhoten, who threw 137 pitches in recording the complete-game win, improved to 4-3 on the season. She allowed 7 hits, while striking out 5 batters and giving up 4 walks. Tara Berg of Fort Lewis fell to 3-7 with the loss. Berg struck out 4 Zias, walked 2 players and allowed 10 hits.

For the Zias, Richardson was 3 for 3 with 3 runs and 4 RBIs during the game. Rhoten added 2 hits in 3 at bats, while Mohler was 2 for 4 with one run. Hubert was 2 for 3 for the Skyhawks.

Eastern New Mexico does not play again until March 15-16, when the Zias will compete at the Columbus State University Tournament in Columbus, Ga. On March 15, ENMU will take on defending NCAA Division II national champion Nebraska-Omaha at 1:00 p.m. (MST), between games against South Carolina Aiken at 9:00 a.m. (MST) and St. Cloud State at 5:00 p.m. (MST). Following the completion of pool play, the tournament will move into bracket play March 16.