SPEARFISH, S.D. – The longest trip of the season awaits the Western New Mexico University softball team as they will travel to South Dakota to face Black Hills State University for a four game RMAC set this Saturday and Sunday.
BHSU (4-13, 3-7 RMAC) lost three of four this past weekend in an RMAC pod against Colorado Mines and Adams State picking up one win over the Orediggers. Prior to this past weekend, they split four games at Chadron State. This will be their first home games of the season as an early March series against Regis was cancelled due to weather.
Five players bat over .300 led by a .435 average from Erica Everson. She also has three home runs and 13 RBI. Alexis Shaffer is second in average (.417) and leads the team in home runs (4) and RBI (14). The Lady Yellow Jackets hit .297 as a team, while opponents are connecting at a .372 clip. In the circle, Savannah Eckhardt leads the team in ERA coming in with a 4.55 mark. Carlee Beck leads in wins with three and holds a 4.93 ERA. As a staff BHSU has a 6.79 ERA, while opponents check in with a 4.16 ERA.
WNMU (10-17, 7-9 RMAC) remains on the road after playing at MSU Denver this past weekend. Mariangela Garcia (Tucson, AZ/Desert View) leads the offense with a .391 batting average. She also has two home runs and 15 RBI. Several other Lady Mustangs are hitting over .300 including Mary Othon (Tucson, AZ/Desert View High School) (.377), Stephanie Higgins (Escondido, CA/Mission Hills High School) (.369), Linzy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) (.363), Davi Martin (Silver City, NM/Silver City) (.356) and Thailyza Ramirez (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) (.350). Higgins leads in home runs with five and in RBI with 26. She ranks third in the conference and 45th nationally in RBI and ranks fourth in the conference and 85th nationally in home runs. Linzy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad), Lacy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) and Ramirez are tied for sixth in the conference and 66th nationally in triples with two. Ramirez is seventh in the conference and 89th nationally in RBI with 22.
In the circle, MaryJo Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) leads the way in ERA (7.64), wins (4), appearances (23), games started (9), and innings pitched (81.1). Mikayla Austin (Florence, AZ/Florence ) adds an 8.94 ERA in 47.1 innings, including two wins in 16 appearances. She leads the team in strikeouts with 45, complete games with three and has two saves. Chantel Purcella (Albuquerque, NM/Albuquerque) (15.2 innings pitched, three wins) and Breanna Aker (El Mirage, AZ/Apollo) (18.2 innings pitched, one win) have also seen time in the circle. Purcella remains tied for first in the RMAC and in the NCAA having hit just one batter. She is tied with 240 players nationally to have done that and nine in the conference. Austin is tied for the conference lead in saves and ranks 11th nationally. She is also third in the RMAC and 101st nationally in strikeouts per seven innings (6.7).
Last year, BHSU and WNMU closed the regular season in Silver City playing a pod as the Lady Yellow Jackets won both games by a run.
WNMU and BHSU will open their series with a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at noon. Live stats will be available for all games.
