Silver City, N.M.- Regis University and its pitching is what helped them slip past the Western New Mexico University softball team for a sweep last Saturday evening 6-3 and 9-1. With a near no-hitter in the first game, Regis was able to limit Western to only eight hits total in both games.
In the first game, the Rangers (26-19, 21-13 RMAC) put up the first runs of the game in the second inning to go up 2-0. They were able to tack on three more runs in the sixth and another in the seventh to break open a 6-0 lead.
The Mustangs were unable to find a hit throughout the six innings of play until the bottom of the seventh when Samantha Munoz doubled to left to break up the no-hitter. This allowed Lacy Granger, who was standing on first base thanks to a Regis throwing error, to reach third base. With two outs and runners on second and third, senior Alicia Enriquez took a 1-2 pitch and drove it over the right field fence for a three run home run. This would be the last run of the game as Regis University took the win 6-3.
Driving in the two hits of the game for WNMU was Munoz and Enriquez. Regis University brought in ten hits, as McGinn led team with three hits and one RBI.
The Mustangs starting pitcher Domi Shone (L, 12-14) took the loss as she pitched all seven innings, allowing two earned runs and striking out nine batters. The right hander Nicole Aviles (W, 13-8) also went all seven innings for the Rangers as she allowed only two hits and produced eleven strikeouts.
Just like the first game, Regis’s offense carried into the second game as they scored two runs in the first and second inning to open up a 4-0 lead. In the fourth another run was added to the Rangers making the score 5-0.
In the bottom half of the fourth, WNMU finally was able to plate in a run thanks to Ariana Maldonado’s solo homerun which would cut the deficit to four, 5-1.
This would be the only run for the Lady Mustangs as the Rangers kept pounding with the sticks in the fifth and sixth inning to score four more runs. Regis would end up with the victory, 9-1.
Mariangela Garcia and Maldonado came away with two hits each as WNMU posted six hits total. Regis put up a total of thirteen hits as King and Illias led the team with three hits each.
MaryJo Granger started for the Mustangs and ended up with the loss (L, 1-13) as she threw 3.1 innings, allowing eight hits. Tiana Salazar came in to relief for 2.2 innings as she produced four earned runs and five hits. Starting pitcher Nicole Hull (W, 11-18) went all six innings for Regis as she allowed six hits and one earned run.
The Lady Mustangs season unfortunately came to an end last Sunday when Regis swept them in a doubleheader 13-5 and 6-5. WNMU (21-34, 17-23 RMAC) finished in ninth in the RMAC standings.
