No. 8 Pioneers take two from Zias

DENTON, Texas — Junior designated player Katie Hines belted her 17th and 18th home runs of the season, and eighth-ranked Texas Woman's posted a 6-2, 9-1 sweep of Eastern New Mexico University on Thursday in a Lone Star Conference softball doubleheader.

Hines went 4-for-6 with four RBIs. She had an RBI single and third baseman Jordan Readicker followed with her 12th homer of the season in the first inning of the opener for a 3-0 lead, and Hines homered to start a three-run third for the eighth-ranked Pioneers (32-7, 10-1 LSC).

The Zias (10-27, 3-8) got on the board in the second on Jessica Candelaria's two-out, bases-loaded singl off Larisa Garcia (9-1), plating Kyra Sirag and Savannah Chavez.

In the nightcap, Erica Armendarez doubled home Sirag in the top of the first for ENMU, but the Zias could not break through again despite eight hits against TWU's Brandie Lander (14-3).

The Pioneers tied it on an RBI single by Amanda Ruiz in the bottom half, then scored twice in the second before Hines homered and Kendra Sancet added a sacrifice fly in the third for a 5-1 lead.

TWU ended the game with four runs in the sixth, highlighted by a two-run triple by Ruiz. She thn scored on Hines' double to end it.

The teams finish the series with an 11 a.m. (MST) single game today.