PORTALES, N.M. (Apr. 16) – The TWU softball team won both games of the doubleheader against the host Eastern New Mexico Saturday afternoon to take the series 3-1.  The Pioneers captured a run-rule victory in game-one 16-6 (5) and then won 5-1 in the second.
 
In game one the Pioneers exploded for 16 runs on 20 hits in just five innings.  Juniors Logan Polasek and Nicole Nordie both went 4-for-4 with three RBI each while five other players picked up multiple hits.  TWU scored three runs in the top of the first inning on a two-RBI single by sophomore Amanda Gray and a RBI-single by junior Katy Stephens.  ENMU tied the game in the bottom of the inning on a three-run home run.
 
The Pioneers then sent 12 batters to the plate in the second inning and scored eight runs to make it 11-3.  Senior Laura Mabary drove in two runs in the inning while Polasek and freshman Melanie Stephens drove in a run each.  The Greyhounds again hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the second to make it 11-6.
 
TWU pushed the lead to 12-6 on a RBI-single by Polasek in the third and then took a 10-run lead in the fourth with four runs.  Polasek drove in her third run with a single followed by Nordie with a three-run blast to left center.
 
Junior Katie Hickey, who came in relief with two outs in the second, limited ENMU to just three base runners including a one-two-three inning in the fifth to seal the win.  She allowed three hits and struck out one for her fifth victory of the season.
 
In game two Nordie drove in her fourth run of the day in the top of the first inning to put TWU on top 1-0.  The Pioneers made it 3-0 in the second on a two-RBI single by senior Tealey Farquhar. 
 
After a scoreless third, TWU made it 5-0 on Mabary's two-RBI single.  The Greyhounds scored their only run in the bottom of the fourth to make it 5-1. 
 
Junior Tori Bice, who started in the circle, limited ENMU to just three base runners in the final three innings and picked up her 17th win of the season.  Farquhar finished the game 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs while four other Pioneers picked up two hits each.
 
"We played much better today and got the series win," said TWU head coach Genny Stidham.  "Katie and Tori pitched well and did not allow many base runners.  We got hot offensively as a team in the first game and carried that into the second.  We had three or four players with monster weekend offensively especially Nordie and Tealey."
 
The Pioneers will now return home for their final series of the regular season. TWU will host a four-game series against West Texas A&M on Apr. 22-23. Both teams will open the series with a doubleheader on Friday, Apr. 22 at 5:00 p.m.