PUEBLO, Colo. – Both Arriel Smith (Oakhurst, CA/Yosemite High School) and Bri Robles (Mesa, AZ/Mesa High School) limited CSU-Pueblo to just four total runs Saturday as the Western New Mexico University softball team split with one of the top teams in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference with CSU-Pueblo taking the first game, 2-0 and WNMU with the 8-2 win in the nightcap.


Unlike the first game, the bats were alive and well in the second game for WNMU (15-36, 10-28 RMAC) and it started right away in the first inning. Aimee Vasquez (Ruidoso, NM/Ruidoso High School) singles, which Brittney Batten (Benson, AZ/Benson High School) added to that a single, as the Mustangs had five hits in the inning, all singles. After a groundout, Kaitlynn Barnes (Phoenix, AZ/Deer Valley High School) singled up the middle for two RBI. Another groundout moved Barnes to second and she came home on an RBI single from Mariah McDonald (Silver City/Silver City High School) for the 3-0 lead. CSU-P (25-16, 23-14 RMAC) posted a run in the second before the Mustang offense went back to work in the third.


Ashly Eichenberger (Scottsdale, AZ/Horizon High School) opened the inning with a single, which was followed by singles from Barnes and Stephanie Higgins (Escondido, CA/Mission Hills High School) to load the bases. A fly out followed before a walk to Jessica Jayo (Peoria, AZ/Centennial High School) forced in a run and an RBI ground out by Ashley Gonzales (Queen Creek, AZ/Queen Creek High School) gave WNMU a 5-1 lead.


Higgins would add a sacrifice fly in the fourth for a 6-1 lead and WNMU would add two more runs for good measure in the sixth with Eichenberger leading off with a home run and after a double by Higgins, she came home on a single by Jayo for the 8-1 lead.


Bri Robles (Mesa, AZ/Mesa High School) would hold the Thunderwolves to just one more run over the final two innings for the win. Robles tossed a complete game (7-11) giving up two earned runs on seven hits, while striking out six to just one walk.


Offensively, five Mustangs had two hits apiece with Vasquez, Eichenberger, Barnes, Higgins and Jayo coming away with the multi-hit game.


In the first game, WNMU was held to just three hits by Justine Bosio, while Arriel Smith (Oakhurst, CA/Yosemite High School) tossed her own gem for the Mustangs giving up just two runs on six hits. CSU-P tallied both of their runs in the third inning, with two outs quickly recorded, two singles followed and a hit batter loaded the bases. A walk and another hit batter later, the Thunderwolves pushed across what would turn out to be the only runs of the game.


The Mustangs threatened in the second with Higgins doubling with one out, but then was cut down trying to move to third on a ball hit in play by Ricki Gentry (Lakeside, CA/Christian High School). That would turn out to be a big play, with Kale Gahn (Phoenix, AZ/Pinnacle High School) following with a double, but Gentry could only get to third on the play and a pop out would then end the inning.


WNMU would get runners on in the sixth and seventh, as in the sixth a hit-by-pitch put Eichenberger on first and then a walk to Barnes had two on with two out. Again Bosio got CSU-P out of the jam with a strikeout. In the seventh, a leadoff single had things started off well for the Mustangs, but then a lined into double play back to Bosio quickly changed things in the inning, as the Thunderwolves tallied the last out to record the shutout win.


Smith ended up with the hard-luck loss (6-17) lasting six innings, giving up the two runs both earned on six hits, along with one walk and three strikeouts.


WNMU will close out the regular season with another doubleheader with CSU-Pueblo on Sunday beginning at 11 a.m.