The NMHU Softball team split their double header against Eastern New Mexico University, on 2/17, at the West Texas A&M University Lady Buff Classic, in Canyon, Texas. The Cowgirls stormed to 10-0 five-inning victory in the first game behind a two-hit shutout from pitcher
Jenelle Klassen and a complete team offensive performance. In game two of the double header against the Zias, the Cowgirls managed to overcome an early 4-0 deficit to take a 4-4 tie into extra innings before the Zias came away with the 6-5 victory. With the split in their first double header of the Lady Buff Classic, the Cowgirls, led by Head Coach Shellie Broyles, improve to a 3-4 record in overall play.
In game one, the Cowgirls got on the board in the first inning, when
Brittany Potter drove in a run before being thrown out at second base. Then Klassen began her dominating performance from the pitcher's circle by retiring the first three Zia batters. Neither team scored in the second inning, with Klassen again retiring the three Zia batters she faced. In the third inning, Cowgirl
Alisha Perry hit a double to left center and scored when
Erica Wieck grounded out to the pitcher. The Zias got their first hit of the game in bottom of the third inning, but it didn't amount to anything. The Cowgirls bats caught fire in the top of the fourth. They scored six runs in the inning with the offensive highlights coming off of a two-RBI double from
Alisha Perry and a two-run homer from
Brittany Potter. The Cowgirls scored two more runs in the fifth inning and held the Zias to only their second hit of the game, making the score 10-0. The first game of the double header was called in the fifth inning due to the ten-run rule.
Jenelle Klassen (2-0) was the winning pitcher in game one for the Cowgirls. She threw all five innings from the pitcher's circle in a dominant two-hit shutout performance. Klassen faced 19 batters, struck out three, and walked three, in her second victory of the season. Klassen played a great all-around game, displaying her offensive skills by going 2-3 at the plate, with two RBIs and two runs scored.
The Cowgirls bats dominated game one as the team combined for a .435 batting average, with 10 runs scored, 10 RBIs, five doubles and one homerun.
Alisha Perry,
Brittany Potter, and
Erica Wieck were the offensive leaders for the Cowgirls in the game. Perry was outstanding for the Cowgirls offensively. She was a perfect 3-3 at the plate with three doubles, three RBIs and two runs scored. Potter continued her homerun onslaught in the game with the big two-run homer in the fourth inning. She was 1-2 from the batter's box, with three RBIs, and earned a walk. Wieck scored a run and drove in two runs in her designated player role from the lead-off position.
The Cowgirls got off to a good start in game two, with three hits in the bottom of the first inning, but they were unable to score while leaving two runners on base. The Zias made up for their lack of offense in game one, by scoring four runs in the top of the second inning. The Cowgirls scored their first run in the bottom of the fourth inning when
Krista Mattice hit an RBI double to left center that scored
Katie Kerr. The Cowgirls closed to within one run of the Zias in the fifth inning, when
Brittany Potter hit a two-run homer with
Devon Paiz on first, making the score 4-3.
Alisha Perry tied the game up for the Cowgirls in the sixth inning with her solo homerun. Neither team was able to score in the seventh inning, so the game went to extra innings tied up at four apiece. The Zias were first to strike in the eighth inning when they scored two runs off of a two-RBI single to center field. The Cowgirls tried to keep the game alive in the bottom of the eighth, but were only able to manage one run when
Erica Wieck hit an RBI single to right field. The Zias came away with the victory in game two, 6-5 in eight innings.
Erica Wieck (0-4) was credited with the loss in game two for the Cowgirls. She threw a complete eight innings from the pitcher's circle, faced 37 batters, and allowed five earned runs on 12 hits. Despite the loss, Wieck pitched a good game, striking out six Zia batters, and walking two. She also fared well at the plate, finishing 2-5 with an RBI.
The Cowgirls offense, though not as spectacular as in game one, still managed to hit .313 as a team, while scoring five runs off ten hits, with two doubles and two homeruns.
Brittany Potter,
Alisha Perry, and
Devon Paiz were the offensive leaders for the Cowgirls in game two. Potter's two-run bomb in the fifth inning was her second homerun of the day, and team leading fifth homer of the season. She was a perfect 2-2 at the plate, earned two walks, and finished with two RBIs and a run scored. Perry continued her outstanding offensive day in game two by going 2-3 from the batter's box. She hit a solo homerun in the sixth inning to tie the game up which gave her an RBI and a run scored. Paiz was 2-4 at the plate with one run scored.
The Cowgirls continued to impress with both their offensive performances and their pitching.
Alisha Perry,
Brittany Potter, and
Jenelle Klassen all played great for the Cowgirls in day one of the Lady Buff Classic, in Canyon, Texas.
The NMHU Cowgirls will continue non-conference action, on 2/18, when they face the TexAnns of Tarleton State University in a double header on day two of the West Texas A&M Lady Buff Classic Tournament, in Canyon, Texas. The first game is scheduled to begin at 11 am with the second game of the double header to follow shortly after the completion of game one.
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HERE For Complete Game One Stats
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GO COWGIRLS!!!
