SILVER CITY, N.M. – Mikayla Austin (Florence, AZ/Florence ) kept Colorado Mesa University’s offense in check through the first game to allow the Western New Mexico University softball team to win game one, 6-3. The Lady Mavericks came back to gain the split with a 9-4 win in the second game Sunday in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action.
WNMU (15-20, 12-12 RMAC) struck first in the second inning with a solo home run by Mary Othon (Tucson, AZ/Desert View High School). Austin continued to limit CMU (21-16, 17-6 RMAC) throughout the first six innings, allowing the Lady Mustangs to keep adding to their lead.
In the fourth, Thailyza Ramirez (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) and Othon delivered RBI hits before Lacy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) capped the inning with an RBI groundout to expand the WNMU lead to 4-0.
In the fifth, a stolen base by Mariangela Garcia (Tucson, AZ/Desert View) at second allowed Alicia Enriquez (Gilbert, AZ/Mesquite) to score from third as the throw got away for the 5-0 lead.
In the sixth, Enriquez drove in the sixth run of the game with a sacrifice fly to leave WNMU ahead 6-0 into the seventh.
The Lady Mavericks tried to fight back in the top of the seventh with Makayla Kovac hitting a three-run homer, but that would be as close as they would get with WNMU claiming the 6-3 victory.
WNMU outhit CMU, 9-7, with Othon going 3-for-3 and two RBI. In the circle, Austin picked up the win (6-8) going all seven innings and allowing three earned runs. She also came away with nine strikeouts. Brooke Hodgson took the loss for the Lady Mavericks after going 4.1 innings and allowing four earned runs.
In the second game, CMU scored two in the second and then seven more in the third to open a 9-0 lead. WNMU began to chip away in the fourth. Higgins was able to steal third and then score on a throwing error, before a Lacy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) sacrifice fly capped the inning with WNMU plating two to trail, 9-2, after four.
In the sixth, Othon ripped a double down into the right field corner to score a run. Lacy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) added another RBI with a double to left field leaving CMU ahead 9-4.
That would end up being as close as WNMU would get the rest of the way with CMU taking the 9-4 victory.
CMU outhit WNMU, 13-6, with six Lady Mustangs accounting for the six hits. In the circle, Hodgson got the win for CMU going four innings and allowing one earned run. MaryJo Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) started for WNMU and ended up with the loss (5-8) after going three innings and giving up six earned runs. Austin tossed the final four innings and gave up just two hits.
WNMU will be on the road this coming weekend as they will play in an RMAC pod in Lakewood, Colo., against Colorado Christian and UC-Colorado Springs.
