Hounds split again in Softball Bash

Staff report

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas — Freshman right-hander Natasha Kissell pitched into the seventh inning and junior Erikka Burke and sophomore Kiana Zerr homered as Eastern New Mexico University rallied for its second split in two days in the North Texas Softball Bash on Saturday, beating Texas-Permian Basin 8-4.

The Greyhounds (7-6) lost their first game on Saturday to unbeaten NAIA power Oklahoma City 16-4. ENMU finishes play in the event with a 9 a.m. (MST) game today against Oklahoma Panhandle State.

Kissell (4-3) gave up two runs in the top of the first, then blanked UTPB (2-7) until the seventh.

Sophomore left-hander Aja Secheslingloff, who took the loss against Oklahoma City, got the final two outs to strand two baserunners and pick up her first save of the season.

Zerr tied the score with her first homer of the season, a two-run shot in the second off Falcons starter Randi May (1-3). Burke hit her third of the spring, a two-run shot, to put cap ENMU’s five-run fourth.

Zerr also drove in the go-ahead run in the fourth with a groundout, Junior second baseman Audrey Velasquez then singled home two runs and came in on Burke’s homer.

ENMU outhit the Falcons 11-7, with Burke, third baseman Morgan Green and left fielder Mariah Rodriguez all collecting a pair of hits. Kissell made it 8-2 with a run-scoring groundout in the fifth.

Earlier, OCU (11-0) chased Secheslingloff (4-3) with nine runs in the first three innings. The Stars ended the game on the eight-run rule after five.

Junior third baseman Madison Ellis led a 19-hit OCU onslaught, going 4-for-4 with five RBIs. She capped a five-run first with a two-run homer, her first of the season, then added an RBI single in the third and a two-run single in the fifth.

ENMU did all its scoring in the fourth inning off senior right-hander Leslie Miller (5-0), highlighted by a three-run homer from senior outfielder Marleyna Pinon, her first of the season. Miller allowed four hits in the five innings, all but one coming in the fourth.

Freshman outfielder Samantha Stallbaumer went 3-for-4 for the Stars, while three other OCU players each had a pair of hits.