TSU Wins Two One-Run Games to Complete Four-Game Sweep of Zias
Nocas is 3 for 6 with a Homer and Four RBIs for ENMU

Box Score - Game 3 - TSU 5, ENMU 4
Box Score - Game 4 - TSU 4, ENMU 3

STEPHENVILLE, TEXAS — Tarleton State University earned a pair of one-run victories over Eastern New Mexico University on Saturday, Apr. 9, as the TexAnns won 5-4 and 4-3 at the TSU Softball Complex to pass the .500 mark at 20-19 overall. TSU, which swept the four-game Lone Star Conference series on the strength of three one-run wins, improved to 8-8 in the LSC South. The Zias fell to 17-26 on the season, 2-14 in the LSC South. ENMU has lost seven one-run games in conference play.

In the opener, Jennifer Johnson with 3 for 3 with three RBIs and two runs scored for TSU. She hit two home runs during the game — a solo blast to left field in the third inning and a two-run shot to left that drove in the tying and go-ahead runs in the fifth.

Eastern took an early lead with two runs in the first inning. The Zias earned four hits during the inning, including RBI singles by Tina Whitt (Jr., C, Riverside, CA/Midland College) and Jessica Nocas (Jr., SS, Riverside, CA/Midland College).

TSU answered with one run in the bottom of the inning. Kristin Williams walked to start the stanza, then advanced to second on a single by Johnson. Williams later scored on a single by Brynn Kamenicky.

The Zias took a 4-1 lead in the top of the third, as ENMU took advantage of two singles and two sacrifice bunts. Adriana Reyes (Jr., 3B, El Paso, TX/El Paso CC) singled and Tori Picazo (So., RF/DP, McKinney, TX/Western Texas College) walked to open the inning, then Whitt put down a sacrifice punt toward first base. Nocas added a squeeze bunt, allowing Reyes to score and moving Picazo to third. Elizabeth Whipkey (Fr., 1B, Orange CA/Villa Park HS) drove in the second run with a single down the left field line.

Tarleton State tacked on its second run in the third inning, then rallied for the lead with three runs in the fifth. The first of the three runs was scored by Meredith Ward, who singled, stole second, and scored on a hit up the middle by Amanda Smith. Smith also stole second, then scored on Johnson’s second homer of the game.

Picazo walked with one out in the seventh inning, but the Zias were unable to produce the tying run. Whitt popped up for the second out before Nocas hit into a fielder’s choice, as the TexAnns threw out Picazo at second base.

Johnson of TSU was the only player with three hits in the opener. Nocas was 2 for 3 with two RBIs for ENMU, while Reyes went 2 for 4. Picazo was 1 for 1, scored twice and received all three walks issued by TSU pitcher A.J. Bristow, who improved to 10-10. Patricia Gonzales (Jr., RHP, Los Angeles, CA/Western Texas College) dropped to 5-8 with the loss.

In the second game, Tarleton State outhit ENMU, 10-4, but the Zias led 2-0 and 3-1 before the TexAnns rallied for the win. The game was scoreless until the third inning, when Picazo hit a single and Nocas sent a home run over the left field fence. TSU tallied a run in the bottom of the fourth stanza to cut the lead to 2-1, but Picazo walked to start the fifth inning, and later scored on a single by Adina Taul (Jr., CF, Placentia, CA/Midland College) with two outs.

ENMU never scored again, as the TexAnns recorded the final three runs of the game. In the bottom of the fifth, Williams hit a leadoff double, but Smith hit into a rare 6-3-5-2 double play, as Williams attempted to score. Johnson batted next and reached on an error, then scored on a triple by Amy Braquet.

Brandie Row opened the TSU half of the sixth inning with an infield single. A sacrifice bunt by Lindsay Moore and back-to-back singles by Erika Alvarado and Susanna Rutledge allowed Row to score the tying run. The Zias threw out Alvarado at third base on a grounder back to the pitcher, but Smith singled to center field to drive in Moore with the go-ahead run.

Moore’s run held up for the TexAnns, as the Zias hit into three ground outs in the seventh inning. Bristow, who threw the final two innings and did not allow a hit, received the win. Natasha Lindsey (Jr., RHP, Auburn, WA/Tusculum College) threw a complete game and suffered the loss for ENMU. She fell to 5-6 on the season.

Kamenicky was 2 for 3 in the second game for TSU, while Row went 2 for 2. No one earned more than one hit for ENMU during the game. Even so, Nocas finished the day 3 for 6 with a homer and four RBIs for the Zias.

Eastern New Mexico University will host Texas A&M University-Kingsville at Zia Softball Field in a Lone Star Conference series Apr. 15-16. The teams will play a double-header each day, with both twinbills starting at 12 p.m. MDT.