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Box Score 2 Portales, N.M.—The OPSU Softball team struggled in the circle Tuesday afternoon, giving up 28 hits in twelve innings to the Greyhounds of Eastern New Mexico University. The Aggies fell 6-11 in game one and then took an 11-run loss in five innings of game two, giving Eastern a 13-2 win and their first doubleheader sweep to open a season in team history.
Senior
Samantha Arledge took her first loss of the season in game one after replacing the Aggies' opening pitcher
Criselda Luna in the fifth inning. Luna allowed five hits for two earned runs and threw six groundouts while in the circle. In Arledge's first appearance for 2016 she was taken for eight hits and eight earned runs with three batters walked in 17 faced.
At the plate, OPSU hitters were held to a .300 batting average in Tuesday's first matchup with the Greyhounds. Four Aggie batters did their best to bring in runs as
Anyssa Barbosa,
Madison Heathington,
Sarah Gregori and Sam Arledge each knocked shots for extra bases and earned runs in the game. Barbosa opened the day with a lead-off solo homerun to left field, putting up the first point for OPSU. Eastern answered in the bottom of the first inning with a one-run homer to tie the game.
In the top of the third with two outs, Heathington hit one out over left-center for two RBI which put the Aggies one top 3-1. An RBI-single gave one run to the Greyhounds in the bottom of the inning and then Gregori stepped up with a double to right-center in the fourth, but was left on base by the next two batters. Luna and the OPSU defense put out three in a row to close the inning and hold on to a one-run lead going into the fifth (3-2).
Arledge rode out a rough two innings for her opening appearance on the rubber. Five runs scored in the fifth as ENMU sent a triple, a two-run double and two singles worth three RBI into the Aggie outfield.
Darcie Wilson crossed home in the sixth, scoring on an RBI single by Gregori. Arledge then gave the Greyhounds a dose of their own medicine as she drove a double down centerfield that added two runs for OPSU. The game was within reach as the Aggies entered the bottom of the inning down by just one run (6-7).
Eastern earned one run with one out in the sixth, before sending three more through on a double and a passed ball to gain a five-run advantage. The Aggies went down swinging in the seventh, with all three batters hitting into the gloves of the Greyhounds; OPSU fell by a final score of 6-11 in game one.
Game two brought pitcher
Janna Ruether in to start for the Aggies; the freshman was pulled with two outs in the first inning, after allowing five hits and six earned runs.
Julia Ibarra entered the circle for Ruether and got the third out on a fielder's choice at first base. The Greyhounds held a 6-0 lead after one inning.
Sarah Gregori,
Ashley Jarzombek and
Samantha Arledge opened the second with three big hits for the Aggies. Gregori hit a lead-off homer to centerfield and was followed up by Jarzombek, who drove a double down the middle and then was sent home on and RBI-single by Arledge.
A four-run deficit increased to five in the bottom of the second as Eastern sent two doubles outfield to add one more run to the board. With one away in the top of the third, a double by
Darcie Wilson was to no avail as a groundout into double-play left two runners on base. A double and a three-run homer in the bottom of the third edged the Greyhounds into a 10-2 lead. The Aggies left two runners stranded in and gave up three more runs in the fourth. A scoreless fifth inning for OPSU ended the game in a 13-2 victory for the home team.
Overall the Aggies averaged .320 in hitting and a .580 slugging percentage; the team totaled 16 hits including four doubles and three homeruns. Gregori, batting sixth in the order, led the Aggies in hitting with an overall average of .667. She went four of six at the plate with two RBI and had a double and one homerun in the series. ENMU held a .483 combined batting average and totaled 28 hits, with seven doubles, one triple and four homers, for a .845 slugging percentage. OPSU finished with a .977 fielding percentage, committing just one error in ten innings-pitched; the Greyhounds fielded at .959 and had two infield errors on the day.
Aggie Softball now sits at 5-6 for the season and will have the next week to prepare for a three-day tournament in Texas which begins on Feb. 19. The Aggies will travel to Grand Prairie in the DFW Metroplex to compete in the North Texas Softball Bash hosted by Lubbock Christian University. Their first game will be at Noon on Friday, Feb. 19 versus Clarke College (Iowa); a second game is set for 2 p.m. that day against Oklahoma City University. Saturday's games are, again, at 12 and 2 p.m. and see the Aggies open with a rematch against Eastern New Mexico and follow with a face-off against inner-league opponent, LCU. Another meeting with the Greyhounds takes place at 10 a.m. Sunday, and the tournament concludes at Noon as OPSU battles Bethany College. Information on live stats and video coverage will be announced as it is received.
