Zias split pair of games in Rattler Invitational

CMI staff

SAN ANTONIO — Eastern New Mexico University’s softball team reached the .500 mark briefly on Friday, then fell back when a late rally in the second game fell short.

ENMU (6-7) scored five runs in the first, but needed an RBI groundout from Amanda Martinez to slip past Rogers State 6-5 in the Rattler Invitational, hosted by St. Mary’s, for its sixth win in seven games after an 0-5 start. The Zias then lost to Oklahoma Christian 7-5 in their second outing of the day.

Today, the Zias take on Oklahoma Christian (4-4) at 9 a.m. and St. Mary’s at 2 p.m. (MST) before wrapping up play in the event with a 9 a.m. contest on Sunday against Central Oklahoma.

Against Rogers State (1-5), the Zias sent 11 batters to the plate in the bottom of the first in chasing starter Brooklyne Harbert. The Hillcats’ Yolanda Rios (1-3) then kept ENMU in check until the sixth when, with the score tied 5-5, Albie Medina walked and pinch-runner Beatriz Caporal took second on Rebecca Long’s sacrifice, moved to third on Cailin Garmon’s single to left and scored on a bounceout by Martinez.

The Hillcats got on the board in the top of the fourth, then tied it with a four-run sixth against Garmon and Mary Jo Granger (2-2).

Garmon returned to the circle in the seventh and worked 1-2-3 to notch her first save.

Third baseman Lizzy Velasquez and catcher Kyra Sirag each went 2-for-3 with an RBI for the Zias, who outhit Rogers State 6-5.

OCU led the Zias 3-2 after one inning in the second game, then rode a leadoff home run by left fielder Danielle Collins’ leadoff home run keyed a four-run fourth that gave the Lady Eagles a 7-2 lead.

The Zias countered in the sixth, pulling to 7-5 on a two-run single by Sirag and an RBI single by Medina. But with runners at the corners, Taylor Mosher (2-2) induced a 6-4-3 double-play grounder from first baseman Erica Armendarez, and Shea Coats notched her second save of the season with a perfect seventh.

ENMU outhit the Lady Eagles 10-7, with Lizzy Velasquez going 3-for-3 and sister Audrey Velasquez finishing 3-for-4.

All 16 of the Zias’ hits on Friday were singles.