Zias and Rambelles Split Double-Header
on Second Day of LSC South Series

SAN ANGELO, TX – Center fielder Nikki Gay (Fr., Schertz, TX/Samuel Clemens HS) and left fielder Jessica Cook (Sr., San Antonio, TX/Lon Morris JC) each went 3 for 4 with two runs and an RBI, as Eastern New Mexico University defeated Angelo State University, 5-4, in the second game of a Lone Star Conference double-header, March 23 at the ASU Softball Complex.

Angelo State, ranked #3 in NCAA Division II, won the first game, 9-8. ENMU ended the day with a 21-16 overall record, 1-3 in the LSC South. ASU lost for just the third time this season (29-3), but concluded the four-game weekend series with a 3-1 record in the LSC South.

Gay singled, stole second base and later scored to start Eastern’s 3-run first inning in the second game. After ASU scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning, Gay hit a leadoff homer in the second inning to give ENMU a 4-2 lead.

Cook, who drove in Gay with a single in the first inning, also singled in the second stanza. She scored later in the inning, as Eastern claimed a 5-2 advantage.

Angelo State scored once in the fifth inning and one more time in the sixth to cut the lead to 5-4. Andrea Payan singled and eventually scored on a passed ball in the fifth. Alexis Wing walked with one out in the sixth, stole second and third, and cross the plate on a double by Diana Faulkner.

ENMU pitcher Maegan Rhoten (Jr., RHP, Albuquerque, NM/St. Pius X HS) walked seven batters during the second game, but shut down the Rambelles in the seventh inning to secure the win. She forced Stephanie Kirkpatrick to ground out to third base, got Jaime McGalliard to fly out to right field, and caused Jessica Oberhelman to ground out to shortstop.

Rhoten gave up four runs (three earned) and allowed eight hits. She earned two strikeouts, while improving to 8-6 on the season. Angelo State starter Megan Clingman allowed all five runs and was credited with the loss. She allowed five of Eastern’s 11 hits, but did not register a walk or a strikeout in 1 2/3 innings. Reliever Lori Hernandez allowed four hits and achieved two strikeouts over the final 5 1/3 innings.

Other key hitters for ENMU in the second game were Rhoten and Bobbi Richardson (So., DP, Kerrville, TX/Tivy HS). Rhoten was 2 for 4 with a run and an RBI. Richardson was 1 for 3 and drove in two runs. Faulkner and Payan each went 2 for 4 for ASU, but the Rambelles left 10 runners on base.

In the opener, ENMU and Angelo State combined for 26 hits. The Zias pounded out 15 hits and ASU had 11. The Zias, however, left 11 runners on base for the second time in the series.

ENMU took an early 1-0 lead in the second inning. ASU tied the score in the bottom of the inning on a homer by McGalliard, but the Zias tallied five runs in the fourth for a 6-1 lead.

Catcher Elizabeth Navarro (San Antonio, TX/Lon Morris JC) singled and scored in the second inning. In the fifth inning, Vicki Davis (Sr., OF, Gilbert, AZ/Glendale CC) doubled and later scored when Gay singled. Gay also stole second base, and eventually went home on a bases load walk by Richardson. Rhoten drove in two runs with a double, and Dawn Murray (Sr., 3B/1B, Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad HS) brought in the final while grounding out to second base.

The Rambelles equalized by recording five runs in the fifth inning. Michelle Hofmann drove in one run with a single, Faulkner earned two RBIs with a double and Melissa Rodriguez finished the offensive surge with an RBI on a grounder to the mound.

Eastern reclaimed the lead, 7-6, when Amanda Langford (Sr., OF, Mesquite, TX/Lon Morris JC) singled in the sixth stanza, advanced to second on a base hit by Rhoten and scored on a double by Murray. Langford was 2 for 5 during the game.

ASU moved in front in the bottom of the sixth. ENMU recorded the first two outs of the inning when Faulkner hit into a bases-loaded 1-2-3 double play. Cat Moreno followed with a three-run homer, as the Rambelles took a 9-7 lead.

The Zias scored one run in the seventh, but couldn’t force across the tying run. With one out and a runner at first, Gay hit into an error by the third baseman. Langford reached base on a fielder’s choice that moved Gay to second. Misty Torrez (Jr., SS, Flagstaff, AZ/Glendale CC) was thrown out at third on the play.

Kim Barajas (So., DP/3B, Alamogordo, NM/Alamogordo HS) singled to bring Gay across the plate and advance Langford to third. Richardson popped up to second base to end the threat.

Gay was 3 for 5 in the opener and went 6 for 9 on the day with four runs and four RBIs. Barajas was 2 for 5 in the first game, while Rhoten went 2 for 3 and Murray was 2 for 4. Wing, Hofmann, Moreno and McGalliard recorded two hits apiece for the Rambelles in the first game.

The Zias do not play again until their next LSC South series, Mar. 28-29 at Texas Woman’s University. First pitch on Friday, Mar. 28, is set for 4 p.m. (MST) in Denton, Texas. The second double-header will get underway at 12 p.m. (MST) on Saturday, Mar. 29.