Zias Split Double-Header at Abilene Christian with 4-1 Loss and 7-6 Win

Box Score - Game 1 - ENMU 1, ACU 4
Box Score - Game 2 - ENMU 7, ACU 6

ABILENE, TEXAS — After losing the opener 4-1, Eastern New Mexico University scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning of the second game for a 7-6 win to split against Abilene Christian University on Friday, Mar. 31 in a Lone Star Conference South Division double-header at Wells Field. After Friday’s results, the Zias remained in second place in the LSC South with a 7-3 record and are 27-13 overall. The Lady Wildcats sit atop the LSC South with a 10-2 record and a 28-9 overall record.

Eastern entered its last at bat in the second game trailing 6-4. Brianna Darnell (Fr., 3B, Farmington, NM/Piedra Vista HS) hit a one out double to start the dramatic comeback. After a single by Kristina Goodman (Jr., CF, Artesia, NM/Vernon College), Christina Helland (So., LF, Albuquerque, NM/Rio Rancho HS) doubled to left-center field to drive in Darnell to get the Zias to within one run. Jessica Nocas (Sr., SS, Riverside, CA/Midland College) walked to load the bases and Elizabeth Whipkey (So., 1B, Orange, CA/Villa Park HS) recorded an RBI with another walk to tie the game at 6-6. A sacrifice fly to right field by Tina Whitt (Sr., C, Riverside, CA/Midland College) allowed Helland to tag from third for the winning run. Zia starting pitcher Rosemary Moreno (Sr., RHP, Midland, TX/Midland College) retired the Lady Wildcats in a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh to improve her record to 14-5 this season.

Eastern took the initial lead in the first game on a second inning single by Courtney McClasky (Sr., C, Keller, TX/Morningside College) to drive in Danielle Flores (Jr., DP, Loving, NM/Loving HS) from third base. The Lady Wildcats’ Samantha Borgeson tied the game in the bottom of the inning with a solo homerun. ACU won the game in the fourth inning, getting three runs on three hits. All three runs came on singles, as Daisy Barcena recorded an RBI and Heather Krumpols drove in two runs.

ENMU starter Natasha Lindsey (Sr., RHP, Auburn, WA/Tusculum College) pitched six solid innings in the loss, giving up nine hits while recording four strikeouts. Lindsey’s record dropped to 8-5. Jennifer Leal attained the win, throwing a complete game eight hitter to improve her record to an impressive 16-1 this year.

Nocas went 4-7 at the plate in the two games, including two homers in the win. She has accumulated a team-leading 11 homeruns this season to tie the school record shared by Nikki Gay in 2003 and Rachel Mohler in 2000. Helland didn’t have any problems with ACU’s pitching, getting four hits in six at bats with an RBI and two runs scored. Darnell recorded two hits in three chances in the victory, including one RBI and a run scored.

Eastern will play another double-header against ACU on Saturday, Apr. 1, starting at noon MST. The Zias return home for a weekend series on Friday, Apr. 7 and Saturday, Apr. 8 against Texas Woman’s University. The LSC South series begins at 12 p.m. MST on both days.