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Pioneers complete sweep of Hounds

DENTON, Texas — Texas Woman’s Abby Walker tossed her second abbreviated complete game of the series and the Pioneers completed a three-game Lone Star Conference softball sweep of Eastern New Mexico University on Saturday with a 10-2 victory.

It was the third run-rule-shortened game of the series, this one ending in 4 1/2 innings on the eight-run lead rule after five. Walker (9-3) struck out five and walked none, allowing four hits.

The Greyhounds (13-22, 6-9 LSC) took their third 1-0 lead of the series in the top of the first when freshman catcher Samantha Brockman singled home junior first baseman Erikka Burke, but the Pioneers (19-10, 9-5) answered with six in the bottom of the inning of junior Kiana Zerr (2-8), then made it 10-1 in the second when catcher Alexis Elizondo hit a two-run single up the middle and Walker contributed a two-run double down the left field line.

Burke hit her 10th home run of the season and second of the series in the third to complete the scoring.

Texas Woman’s 12, ENMU 2 (Friday, Game 2) — After dropping the first game of a doubleheader and the series 11-3, ENMU stayed with the Pioneers until late in the nightcap.

TWU led just 3-2 and the first two hitters were retired by Zerr in the bottom of the sixth. Then the roof fell in and the Pioneers scored nine runs, ending the game on when Walker deposited a three-run homer over the left-center field fence, her first round-tripper of the season.

Until the sixth, Zerr had limited TWU to just four hits. Eight of the 10 runs against her were unearned, the result of two Hounds errors.

ENMU took a 1-0 lead in the third, scoring on an error. Shortstop Susannah Chandler’s run-scoring single in the fifth pulled the Hounds to 3-2.

Third baseman Tylia Sylestine and pitcher Tori Bice both went 2-for-3 with three RBIs for TWU. Bice (6-6) allowed five hits, walked two and struck out one over six innings.

 
 
Rendered 03/24/2024 19:55