The Mustangs haven't had much luck so far this season with the Grand Canyon Lopes. While at the Desert Stinger two weekends ago, the Lopes defeated the Mustangs, 12-4. WNMU then tallied two more losses today in Phoenix. They lost the first, 8-5, and then played an extra inning in game two but still came out on the losing end, 5-4.

The Mustangs and pitcher Sarah Almanza (El Paso, TX, JM Hank High School, Ranger Junior College) had a tough start to the day. They allowed six Grand Canyon runs off of three hits and two errors in the second inning. Finally, WNMU got out of the inning after catching the first base runner stealing.

WNMU cut the Lopes' lead to four on their next at bat. Brittney Batten (Benson, AZ, Benson High School) reached a bag first with her single to right field. Next up was Samantha Lopez (Albuquerque, NM, Del Norte High School, Lamar Community College). She pushed Batten to second with a walk. Amy Aicher (Snohomish, WA, Snohomish High School, College of Southern Nevada) then advanced Batten and Lopez to second and third when she grounded out to the pitcher. The two base runners finally scored off a Lopes error.

WNMU tacked another two runs in the fifth. Like the third, Batten and Lopez were the two players to cross home plate. Things became close in the sixth. Batten singled to center field after Micaela Miller (Peoria, AZ, Sunrise Mountain High School, Glendale Community College) doubled to the same spot. Batten's single allowed Miller to come home. The Lopes' lead was just one.

Making slow and steady progress on the huge deficit, the Mustangs hoped to steal the win in the seventh, but Grand Canyon tabbed two runs off of four hits in the sixth to put the game out of reach.

Batten was a perfect 3 for 3 in the first game. Miller had two hits.

Almanza recorded her third loss of the season. Arriel Smith (Oakhurst, CA, Yosemite High School) and Emily Huhta (Albuquerque, NM, Manzano High School, Lamar Community College) tried to help in the recovery efforts. Like Almanza, neither could record a strikeout.

In game two, WNMU led 4-0 in the middle of the fifth, but costly errors allowed the Lopes to get back into the game. The Mustangs racked up seven errors in the game. Two of those came in the fifth when Grand Canyon scored two runs. Another came in the seventh, scoring two runs and forcing extra innings.

WNMU had their chance to win in the eighth. With runners on second and third and only one out, the Mustangs first grounded out the pitcher and then struck out swinging. The luck was better for Grand Canyon. With Brittany Shannon (Silver City, NM, Silver High School, New Mexico State University) relieving Huhta in the pitching circle, Shannon got one out quickly, but then walked her second batter. That walked batter then advanced to second with a single to right field. Shannon shook things off and got her second out of the day on her fourth batter. The Mustangs needed just one more out. With pressure mounting, WNMU could not hold it together. They produced a costly seventh error of the game, allowed a run to score, and end the game.

Kortney Smith (Maricopa, AZ, Marana High School, Central Arizona Community College), Aicher, and Kristina Barr (San Diego, CA, La Costa Canyon High School, Central Community College) all had two hits in the second loss of the day. Shannon recorded the loss.

Click here for game one statistics.

Click here for game two statistics.