The Western New Mexico University softball team could not get a win on Friday at the Schutt/Triple Crown Sports Division II Lead-Off Softball Classic being played at the Rose Mofford Sports Complex in Phoenix, despite scoring seven runs in the first game versus Texas A&M International University and scoring first in their second game of the day versus Western Washington University.  Texas A&M International won, 10-7, and Western Washington got the victory in six innings, 11-3.

The bats were woken up on Friday afternoon versus Texas A&M International.  WNMU and TAMIU combined for 17 runs and 24 hits.  In the first inning, TAMIU got things going with five singles off of pitcher Brianne Grommon (Mesa, AZ/Mountain View High School) (Mesa, AZ).  They were able to cross home plate on three of the hits.

WNMU got within one during their at-bats.  Sophomore Rebecca Reynolds (Benson, AZ/Benson High School) (Benson, AZ) and junior Stephanie Bisgard (Scottsdale, AZ/Coronado High School) (Scottsdale, AZ) singled to send home Valerie Villela (Chandler, AZ/Mountain Pointe High School) (Chandler, AZ) and Katie Jo Castaneda (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad High School) (Carlsbad, NM) respectively, who also singled on their first attempts. 

But TAMIU jumped out to a 6-2 lead again in the second after three more singles.  Things remained quiet in the third, but TAMIU scored another four runs in the fourth after a grand slam.  WNMU tried to rally back by scoring five runs in the next three innings, but they could not connect with the ball in the seventh to get the victory. 

Villela finished the game with three hits, two runs, and one RBI off of four at-bats.  Catcher Kaci Lewis (Olympia, WA/Olympia High School) (Olympia, WA) finished with two hits and one run. 

Grommon recorded the loss on the mound.

In the second game, WNMU took a 3-1 lead over the Western Washington University Vikings because of Villela's bat.  She doubled in the first and then homered in the second, which also sent Jody Clark (El Paso, TX/Irvin High School) (El Paso, TX) home.

The Vikings scored three runs in the bottom of the second - the big blow being a two-run homer.  It was all Vikings after that.  Western Washington scored one run in the third, three in the fourth, and three more in the sixth as the eight-run mercy rule ended the game.

WNMU, now 2-6, committed five errors.  Priscilla Garcia (Albuquerque, NM/St. Pius X High School) (Albuquerque, NM, 1-3) took the loss in relief. 

Click here for complete statistics for game one versus Texas A&M International University.

Click here for complete statistics for game two versus Western Washington University.