Zias Top Two Colorado Schools on the First Day of the WTAMU/Holiday Invitaional

Box Score - Game #1, ENMU 9, CSU-Pueblo 3
Box Score - Game #2, ENMU 8, Adams State 1

AMARILLO, TEXAS — Eastern New Mexico University’s Rosemary Moreno (Sr., Midland, TX/Midland College) pitched a 9-3 win over Colorado State University-Pueblo and Natasha Lindsey (Sr., Auburn, WA/Tusculum College) controlled Adams State College for an 8-1 win on Friday, Feb. 10 to open up play in the West Texas A&M University/Holiday Inn Invitational at Rick Klein Field. The two wins improved the Zia record to 6-3 overall. This was Pueblo’s first game of the season and Adams State remained winless in four games this year.

Moreno received a nice cushion in the bottom of the first inning as the Zia batters exploded for six runs on five hits. Eastern took advantage of an early error in the inning as Kelsey Kubik (Jr., RF, Tucson, AZ/Pima College) singled in Kristina Goodman (Jr., CF, Artesia, NM/Artesia HS) and Jessica Nocas (Sr., SS, Riverside, CA/Midland College). The next batter, Tina Whitt (Sr., C, Riverside, CA/Midland College), drove in Kubic with a double to left field. A single by Tracy Jordan (Sr., 2B, Rosamond, CA/Desert HS) advanced Kubic to third base and both runners scored on a double by Brianna Darnell (Fr., 3B, Farmington, NM/Piedra Vista HS). An error at third base on a grounder by Danielle Flores (Jr., DP, Loving, NM/Loving HS) allowed Darnell to score.

Pueblo was able to get a runner on base in each of the first three innings, but all were left stranded. In the top of the fourth, CSU cut into the lead with two runs on two hits. Eastern answered in the bottom half of the inning, once again taking advantage of Pueblo’s fielding errors. Another error at third base allowed Flores to get on base and she was able to score on the next play, which was the third error of the day by CSU third baseman, Katie Johnson. The last error came off the bat of Goodman who advanced to third on the play. Christina Helland (So., LF, Albuquerque, NM/Rio Rancho HS) came up next and promptly drove-in Goodman with a double. Kubic recorded her second RBI of the game with a single to force Helland across the plate for a 9-2 lead.

Moreno got out of a sixth inning jam, leaving two Pueblo runners on the base paths. She handled two errors in the bottom of the seventh inning, giving up only one run while stranding two more runners to record her third victory against only one defeat this season. Darnell equalled Kubic’s two RBIs, while Helland and Whitt each provided a single RBI.

In the second game, Eastern scored in the first inning for the fifth time this season and for the third game in a row. Helland, who had singled and advanced to second base on an error, was able to score off of a bunt attempt by Kubic that the ASC pitcher committed an error on. Meanwhile, Lindsey was able to get out of two jams in the first and second, forcing inning-ending fly outs with two runners on each time.

With two outs in the bottom of the third, Eastern batting leader, Nocas, doubled down the left field line. Kubic’s single scored Nocas from second for a 2-0 Zia lead. Adams State got on the board with an RBI-double by Kim Ensey to cut Eastern’s lead in half (2-1). Jordan led off the bottom of the fourth with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Courtney McClasky (Sr., C, Keller, TX/Morningside College). Jordan advanced to third on a Darnell single and scored on Goodman’s single to center field. With the bases loaded, Nocas was hit by a pitch to force Darnell across the plate. Eastern scored its third run of the inning for a 5-1 lead on a ground out by Kubic.

ENMU added a run in the fifth on two more errors by ASC. In the sixth, Nocas hit a two-run homer over the right field fence for an 8-1 lead. Lindsey cruised through the sixth inning and with two outs in the seventh and runners in scoring position, Jordan handled a grounder at second base for the third and final out of the game. Helland led the Zia offense with three RBIs and Lindsey improved her record to 3-2 this season.

The Zias are scheduled for games against Regis University and Oklahoma Panhandle State University on Saturday, Feb. 11. Eastern will close out tournament play on Sunday, Feb. 12 with games against Fort Hays State University and New Mexico Highlands University.
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