Zias Fall to Washburn and Panhandle State
on Second Day of Angelo State Classic

Box Scores:
ENMU vs. Washburn (Bracket Play)
ENMU vs. OPSU

SAN ANGELO , TEXAS — The Eastern New Mexico University Zias completed their first tournament of the season with a 7-1 loss to Washburn University and a 9-2 defeat against Oklahoma Panhandle State University, Saturday, Feb. 5, at the Angelo State University Classic. ENMU ended the tournament with a 1-4 overall record. The Zias began the season with one win and two losses on the first day of the ASU Classic on Friday, Feb. 4.

Eastern opened the second day of the tournament with a rematch against Washburn in the semifinals of bracket play. Washburn defeated the Zias, 9-3, in pool play on Friday.

In the rematch, Natasha Lindsey (Jr., P, Auburn, WA/Tusculum College) started on the mound for ENMU, but gave up four hits and an untimely error in the first inning. Lindsey allowed three runs — none were earned — before she was replaced by Rosemary Moreno (Jr., P, Midland, TX/Midland College) with two outs. Moreno was able to get the final out, stranding two runners with the Zias still trailing 3-0.

Tori Picazo (So., RF, McKinney, TX/West Texas College) led off with a walk for the Zias in the top of the second inning. Elizabeth Whipkey (Fr., 1B, Orange, CA/Villa Park HS) advanced Picazo to second base with a sacrifice bunt. A single by Christina Helland (Fr., LF, Albuquerque, NM/Rio Ranch HS) sent Picazo to third, and an error by second baseman Malarie Fellers allowed Helland to reach second. Tina Whitt (Jr., C, Riverside, CA/Midland College) earned an RBI when she knocked in Picazo on a ground out to third.

Washburn, leading 3-1, took advantage of two more errors by the Zias to score three runs in the top of the fifth inning. Both runners who reached base for the Lady Blues due to errors were driven home on a triple by Mandy Tarbutton, who later scored on a single by Jackie Sells. The three tallies put WU ahead 6-1, with all six runs unearned.

A home run by Kala Huske in the top of the seventh completed the 7-1 win for Washburn. The Lady Blues later defeated the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma, 1-0, in the championship game.

In Eastern’s second game on Saturday, the Zias faced Oklahoma Panhandle State. ENMU was unable to overcome the strong pitching of Adrianne Sandall, as OPSU held Eastern to five hits in a 9-2 win for the Lady Aggies. Both of the Zias’ runs were scored in the top of the fifth inning, when Adriana Reyes (Jr., 3B, El Paso, TX/El Paso Community College) tripled. Reyes tried to stretch the three-base hit into an inside-the-park home run, but she was thrown out at home plate.

ENMU will remain on the road, taking on Midwestern State University in a double-header on Saturday, Feb. 12, at 12 p.m. MST. On Sunday, Feb. 13, the Zias will be at Cameron University for a double-header slated for a 1 p.m. MST start. Eastern’s drive will be shorter on Wednesday, Feb. 16, when the Zias will play a double-header at the College of the Southwest in Hobbs, N.M., starting at 1 p.m. MST.