Zia Softball Goes 1-2 on Opening Day
ENMU Rebounds from two losses, Wins Final Game of the Day

Box Scores:
ENMU vs. USAO
ENMU vs. Washburn
ENMU vs. CSU-Pueblo

SAN ANGELO , TEXAS — The Eastern New Mexico University softball team opened the 2005 season with three games on Friday, Feb. 4 in the Angelo State Classic. ENMU lost in the first game to the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, 14-0, fell in the second game to Washburn University, 9-3, and finished off the day with its first win of the season, as the Zias beat Colorado State University-Pueblo, 7-3.

In the opener, the Zias faced the USAO Drovers, an NAIA national tournament contender. Eastern was able to get only five players on the base paths, as USAO pitcher Kindra Gregory tossed a two-hit shutout in a game called on the run rule after five innings.

In the second game, ENMU had less than an hour to prepare for Washburn University, an NCAA Division II opponent from Topeka, Kan. Patricia Gonzales (Jr., P, Los Angeles, CA/West Texas College) began on the mound for the Zias and allowed one run on two hits in the first inning, as Washburn took an early lead. Gonzalez found herself in a jam in the top of the second inning, but overcame a bases-loaded situation when Amanda Carey lined out to left fielder Christina Helland (Fr., Albuquerque, NM/Rio Rancho High School) for the final out.

Zia second baseman Tracy Jordan (Jr., Rosamond, CA/Desert HS) led off the bottom of the third inning with a triple, and scored when second baseman Malarie Fellers could not handle a ball hit by Helland. Jordan’s run tied the game, 1-1. Carey hit a bases loaded tripled for Washburn in the top of the fourth, scoring three Lady Blues for a 4-1 lead.

In the top of the seventh, the Lady Blues got five runs off Gonzalez and reliever Shannon Saltclah (Fr., P, Farmington, NM/Piedra Vista HS). The Zias tried to mount a comeback in the bottom of the seventh, managing two runs, before losing 9-3.

The Zias were a different team in the evening game against CSU-Pueblo. Amanda Nightingale (Jr., P, Mesquite, TX/North Central Texas College) threw a complete game, allowing four hits, getting 10 strikeouts, and giving up three runs, all unearned. By the time Nightingale took the mound in the bottom of the first, the Zias were up 1-0 following a sacrifice fly by Tori Picazo (So., RF, McKinney, TX/West Texas College).

Adina Taul (Jr., CF, Placentia, CA/Midland College) led off the third with a double, and scored on a Jessica Nocas (Jr., SS, Riverside, CA/Midland College) two-RBI single. Courtney McClasky (Sr., C/DP, Keller, TX/Morningside College) who followed Taul with a walk, also scored on the single by Nocas. After Picazo grounded out, Elizabeth Whipkey (Fr., 1B, Orange, CA/Villa Park HS) drove in Nocas with a single to left field for a 4-0 Zia lead.

The Lady Aggies got back into the game in the top of the fifth inning, scoring three runs on two hits and two errors. The ENMU lead was down to one run, 4-3, but an RBI double by Hellend, a CSU-Pueblo error and a sacrifice bunt by Taul put Eastern in the lead for good, 7-3. Nightingale escaped jams in the sixth and seventh innings to record her first victory at ENMU.