Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 DURANGO, Colo. – The Western New Mexico University softball team opened strong Saturday coming away with a 7-4 win before Fort Lewis College came back to gain the split, 5-2, in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action.


In the first game, Western New Mexico University (WNMU) capitalized with two outs, scoring six of their seven runs with one out left in a pair of innings.


WNMU (15-24, 12-16 RMAC) broke through with a run in the top of the second when Alicia Enriquez (Gilbert, AZ/Mesquite) singled through the left side on the first pitch to drive home Tessa Fanning (Cottonwood, AZ/Mingus Union) who singled earlier in the inning.


Fort Lewis College (FLC) came back to tie the game in the home half.


The Lady Mustangs broke the game open with four runs on two outs in the fourth. Enriquez came through with the big hit, as she battled to a full-count pitch and promptly doubled to left-center plating both Aimee Vasquez (Ruidoso, NM/Ruidoso High School) and Breanna Diaz (Las Cruces, NM/Mayfield) for a 3-1 lead.
Enriquez then scored on a wild pitch as she moved to third on the throw home on her previous at-bat to move the lead to three. Mariah McDonald (Silver City/Silver City High School) cashed in the final run of the inning on her single to center that scored Stephanie Higgins (Escondido, CA/Mission Hills High School) to leave WNMU ahead, 5-1.


After FLC (12-19, 10-16 RMAC) scored a run in the fifth, WNMU posted two more runs in the sixth. After the first two outs were quickly recorded, an error kept the inning alive. Kale Gahn (Phoenix, AZ/Pinnacle High School) drove home McDonald and later, Ricki Gentry (Lakeside, CA/Christian High School) singled on a sharp hit ball to second base that brought home Gahn for a 7-2 lead.


The Skyhawks tallied two in the seventh to provide the final margin of 7-4.


WNMU outhit FLC, 13-8, with Enriquez going 3-for-4 with three RBI, while McDonald, Mary Othon (Tucson, AZ/Desert View High School) and Fanning all recording two hits apiece.


Domi Shone (Gold Canyon, AZ/Mesquite) tossed six innings to collect the victory (7-12) as she allowed two unearned runs on just five hits.


In game two, FLC jumped out to an early 2-0 lead on a two-run home run by Chelsea Rodriguez. The Lady Mustangs got on the board in the fourth behind a two-out RBI single from Fanning to score Gentry to leave FLC ahead, 2-1, after four.


After FLC scored a run in the home half to take a 3-1 lead, WNMU answered back with a run in the fifth when Gahn singled home Higgins with two outs to trim the deficit back to one, 3-2.


FLC added a pair of insurance runs in the sixth to open a 5-2 lead. WNMU would get two runners on in the seventh with two outs, but a lineout back to the pitcher ended the threat and the game.


WNMU held an 8-7 hit advantage, with Enriquez again having a big game going 2-for-4. Six other Mustangs accounted for the other hits. BreAnna Eaker (Ramona, CA/James Madison) took the loss in the circle (7-9), as she pitched 3.1 innings giving up three earned runs. Amber Taynton (Lakeside, CA/El Capitan) tossed the other 2.2 innings.


WNMU and FLC will conclude their four-game set Sunday morning with another doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m.