Alamosa, Colo. – Western New Mexico University softball team traveled to Alamosa Colorado to face off against Adams State University last Sunday night and was able to come away with a split. After losing a last inning game to the Grizzles, 4-3, the Mustang were able to snag the second game in extra innings, 5-4.
In the first game, WNMU jumped quickly on the scoreboard in the first inning. After Ariana Maldonado reached first base on a scoring error, she was later brought in by a Thailyza Ramirez single to left field to put them in the lead 1-0.
ASU (4-16, 2-6 RMAC) answered back later in the half inning to knot the game up 1-1.
Another run came in the second for the Mustangs to take the lead back 2-1. Clarissa Moreno, who singled right back to the pitcher and was later moved to third with back-to-back sacrificed bunts, scored on a Linzy Granger gap shot to right center.
The scored remained the same until in the fifth where the Lady Mustangs piled on another run, 3-1, when Maldonado hit a shot to right for a triple and was later brought to home thanks to a Mariangela Garcia single.
The game seemed to be in WNMU’s hand until the bottom seventh. With two outs and bases loaded, a fielder’s choice brought in one run. Then a double to the gap in left center, scored two more runs to give the Grizzlies the lead and the win 4-3.
The Mustangs were able to outhit the Grizzlies, 10-8, and also had fewer errors 3-2.
Three Lady Mustangs were able to come away with a two-hit game: Moreno, Garcia, and Maldonado.
Pitching for WNMU was Domi Shone (5-7). She went through all 6.2 innings and came away with four earned runs and four strikeouts.
In the second game, the Mustangs started off cold offensively by not scoring any runs until sixth inning. On the other hand, the Grizzlies answered at home plate and were able to score in the third and fifth inning to put themselves in the lead, 2-0.
Finally in the top of the sixth, the Lady Mustangs found their groove and came through with two runs to tie the game up, 2-2. The first run scored came from a Brooklyn Misenhimer single up the middle to score Lacy Granger. Lacy Granger was standing on second thanks to her double in left field. The second run was scored on a RBI high fly to left field by Moreno to bring in Yasmeen Gastelum.
The Mustangs were able to put two more points on the scoreboard in the top of the seventh to make the score 4-2. Linzy Granger singled up the middle and was brought in by her twin sister Lacy Granger, who doubled down the line, for the first run of the inning. With momentum rolling, Gastelum found a 1-2 pitch and doubled to gap in left field which brought home Granger for the second run.
ASU would fight back in the home half and knot the game back up, 4-4, to send the game to extra innings.
In the eighth, WNMU’s Maldonado started the inning off right with a single to left. Alicia Enriquez then reached first base on a throwing error from her sacrifice bunt which also allowed Maldonado to move to third. Krystal Castillo came through to bring in Maldonado on her sacrifice fly ball to right field to snatch the lead back, 5-4.
Shone came up big to relieve for the Mustangs in the bottom of the eighth. She was able to retire the Grizzlies batters with two strikeouts and a groundout to give WNMU the win, 5-4.
Both teams came away with nine hits and one error each.
Lacy Granger led the way for the Lady Mustangs in offense as she brought in two hits, one base on balls, and two runs.
There were three pitchers for WNMU who saw pitching time: Tiana Salazar, MaryJo Granger, and Shone. Salazar was starting pitcher and pitched 4.1 innings, allowed six hits, and two earned runs. Granger and Shone together pitched for a combined total of 3.2 innings, three hits, two runs, and three strikeouts.
The Western New Mexico University softball team (10-13, 6-2 RMAC) will again be on the road this weekend to face Chadron State University Saturday and Sunday.
