CANYON, Texas – The New Mexico Highlands softball team (11-29) will take another short break from conference play when it travels to Canyon, Texas, to take on top-ranked West Texas A&M (40-4).
Live Video (FREE!) will be available by clicking
here while live statistics will be available by clicking here (
Game 1) (
Game 2).
Weekend of Celebration Following a pair of mid-week games against the Lady Buffs, the New Mexico Highlands softball team will have a very busy weekend when it welcomes in-state rival Western New Mexico to Las Vegas for four games Friday and Saturday (April 18-19).
On Friday, the softball team will play in its annual pink game. In lieu of an admission to baseball and softball, fans are encouraged to give a donation as the Cowboys and Cowgirls try to "Save Second Base." During the softball game, cancer facts will be read.
There is also "Save Second Base" T-Shirts available in the softball offices, room 232 at the Wilson Complex. There are a multitude of sizes but are on a first come, first serve basis.
On Saturday between games of the double header, the Cowgirls will celebrate senior day 2014. Highlands will honor utility player
Dominique Padilla and right0hand pitcher
Theresa Duncklee.
Scouting New Mexico Highlands The Cowgirls enter the week looking to snap a 10-game losing streak.
Both starting pitchers lead Highlands from the plate as junior
Jessica Wood holds a .370 batting average. She is second on the team in hits (40) while she is third on the team in runs scored. Classmate
Jessica Brink is second on the team with a .340 average and is second on the team with six home runs. Sophomore
Dekota Monarrez leads the team and is second in the conference with 11 home runs. She also leads the team with a .611 slugging percentage.
Wood is 6-12 with a 5.53 ERA while Brink is 5-14 with a 5.66 ERA.
Scouting #1 West Texas A&M The #1 Lady Buffs of West Texas A&M ran their win streak to 13 games this past Saturday afternoon as they scored in nine of the 10 innings played in a doubleheader road sweep of Eastern New Mexico at Zia Field in Portales, New Mexico. The victory also marked the 300th victory for head coach Kevin Blaskowski at the helm of the Lady Buffs.
Entering last weekend, the Lady Buffs ranked first in all of NCAA Division II in team slugging percentage (.633) while sitting seventh in doubles per game (2.13), third in home runs per game (1.5) and third in scoring (8.3). Individually, junior outfielder Renee Erwin ranks eighth in slugging percentage (.968) and Rita Hokianga is 11th in the nation in total strikeouts with 173.
Two different Lady Buffs have better than a .400 batting average, led by Renee Erwin with a .466 mark. Jessica Slipe adds a .438 mark and a team-leading 14 home runs.
Two pitchers hold an ERA under two runs per game. Rita Hokianga is 18-2 with a 1.94 ERA while Tori Bayer, who has only thrown 46 innings, is 7-0 with a 1.98 ERA. Hannah Newcomb is 15-2 with a 2.24 ERA.
Next Up The New Mexico Highlands softball team will play its penultimate series of the year and its final home games Friday and Saturday when it takes on Land of Enchantment-rival Western New Mexico in a pair of double headers. Play begins Friday at noon and Saturday at 11 a.m.
