Silver City, N.M. – After dropping the first game, 10-2, the Western New Mexico University softball team bounced back with close games in the second and third game before falling short, 7-8 and 2-4, against in-state rivals Eastern New Mexico University last Friday and Saturday.
In the first game, ENMU jumped to a quick 2-0 lead in the second inning. This lead did not last long as WNMU’s Lacy Granger and Deidre Vega earned an RBI each in the bottom half of the second to tie the game at two apiece. The Greyhounds regained the lead in the of the fourth inning by scoring two on earned runs, putting themselves back in the lead, 3-2.
After a scoreless fifth inning, Eastern New Mexico went on a scoring spree as they brought in seven runs in the sixth, increasing the lead 10-2. In need of a score, the Mustangs failed to earn a run in bottom of the sixth which gave the Greyhounds the victory, 10-2, due to the eight run-rule.
Five WNMU players earned one hit: seniors Linzy Granger and Lacy Granger, junior Mariangela Garcia and sophomores Deidre Vega and Carolyn Castillo. Redshirt senior, Domi Shone (0-6), was the starting pitcher as she threw 5.1 innings and gave up two earned runs.
Mustangs came out hot in the second game as they took a 3-0 lead in the second inning; Castillo batted in two runs in the first while Garcia batted in another run in the second. In the third inning, ENMU found two runs but WNMU bounced back with a run in fourth thanks to a Ariana Maldonado RBI, making the score 4-2.
The Greyhounds offense came alive in the fifth inning as they scored five runs to take the lead, 7-4. In the sixth, the Mustangs fought back as Garcia singled to score Linzy Granger then sophomore Ariana Maldonado also singled to score Lacy Granger, cutting the lead to 7-6.
Due to lack of light, the game had to be postponed until Saturday. The next day, Eastern New Mexico added a run in the seventh to make their lead 8-6. In the bottom half of the seventh, Mustang’s Lacy Granger drilled a ball to center field which scored sophomore Brooklyn Misenhimer to bring the deficit to 8-7. With two outs, junior Valeria Luna grounded out which closed the score 8-7, giving ENMU the win.
Garcia and Maldonado led the team with three hits each while Linzy Granger came away with two. In the circle, starting pitcher was Lyana Waddell who pitched 4.1 innings and allowed seven runs. Pitcher Thalia O’Neill suffered a loss (0-3) as she pitched 2.1 innings and allowed four runs.
In the final game, after a scoreless three innings, WNMU scored on a Vega base hit which scored Lacy Granger to earn the first run of the game, 1-0. The next score of the game came in the sixth which was big for ENMU as they earned four runs, as they took the lead 4-1.
Mustangs kept fighting in the bottom half of the sixth as Linzy Granger batted in Vega to put them within two, 4-2. This was as close as WNMU came after a scoreless seventh inning brought the game to an end, giving ENMU the win.
Lacy Granger posted three hits while Castillo followed with two. Starting pitcher was Shone who tossed 5.2 innings, allowing five hits and two runs. For relief, O’Neill (0-4) threw 0.1 innings and permitted six runs.
WNMU, holds a 0-14 overall record and 0-3 conference record, and will return home this Friday as they welcome Angelo State University for a four-game series.
