Hounds eliminated by Tyler in quarterfinals

CANYON, Texas – Eastern New Mexico University’s softball team was the last squad to beat third-ranked Texas-Tyler, posting a 3-2 win on March 23 at Tyler.

On Thursday, the Greyhounds nearly ended the Patriots’ 19-game winning streak, but instead saw their season come to an end in a 4-3 quarterfinal loss in the Lone Star Conference tournament.

ENMU (26-26), which beat Texas Woman’s in a first-round match on Thursday morning, fell into a 3-0 hole in the first inning against the Patriots (47-7) and wasn’t able to catch up.

Junior first baseman Grace Roffi pulled the Hounds to 4-3 with a two-out, two-run homer in the sixth, her second of the season, but junior right-hander Christin Haygood (15-0) got the next three outs before issuing a walk and giving way to senior right-hander Genesis Armendariz of Hobbs, who got a strikeout to end it and notch her second save of the year.

The Patriots scored in the first on a double by senior shortstop Courtney Plocheck, a double steal and an ENMU error. Doubles by junior catcher Samantha Gutierrez and senior left fielder Cecy Jurado made it 3-1 in the second, but UTT senior right fielder Cassidi Mullen hit an RBI single in the bottom of the fourth to restore a three-run advantage.

Tyler outhit the Hounds 10-5, with junior center fielder J.T. Smith and senior third baseman Michelle Arias both going 2-for-3. Meantime, Roffi posted a 2-for-3 outing for the Hounds.

Sophomore right-hander Marissa Rodriguez, who earlier threw a complete-game against TWU, relieved started Jordan Rivera with one out in the first and scattered seven hits over the final 5 2/3 innings.

ENMU 5, Texas Woman’s 2 – For the second year in a row, the Hounds won their opening tilt as a No. 10 seed in the LSC tourney, defeating the seventh-seeded Pioneers (25-29) behind a home run and two RBIs from senior third baseman Alondra Vasquez and the four-hit pitching of Rodriguez.

Last year, the Hounds blanked St. Mary’s 1-0 in the opening round before falling to second-seeded and 10th-ranked West Texas A&M 3-2 in the quarterfinals.

Vasquez went 2-for-3 with a run-scoring double in the third and a solo home run, her team-leading 13th, in the top of the fourth as the Hounds opened a 3-0 lead. Rodriguez made it stand up with her 13th complete game of the campaign, allowing just one earned run and needing a relatively economical 101 pitches with one walk and two strikeouts.

Senior right fielder Mikenzey Patterson broke the scoring ice with a two-out, bases-loaded RBI single in the top of the second. Later in the inning, senior shortstop Valeria Contreras scored on a wild pitch by Pioneers senior right-hander Alyssa LeBlanc (15-13).

Contreras hit an RBI single in the fifth before Vasquez homered to left field in the sixth for a 5 -1 lead.

Contreras finished 2-for-4 for the Hounds. LeBlanc, who doubled home her team’s first run in the fourth, went 5 2/3 innings in the circle, allowing seven hits and two earned runs with five walks and six strikeouts.