Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 DURANGO, Colo . – Just like Saturday, the Western New Mexico University softball team opened with an impressive 8-0 victory in five innings in the first game when Fort Lewis College came back to take the second game, 4-2, in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action Sunday.


In the first game, Western New Mexico University (WNMU) exploded for six in the second to break the game open. Mary Othon (Tucson, AZ/Desert View High School) opened the frame with a single to left. Tessa Fanning (Cottonwood, AZ/Mingus Union) ripped a 2-2 pitch down into the left field corner for a double and move Othon to third. Mariah McDonald (Silver City/Silver City High School) doubled to the opposite field into right-center to score both runners and give the Lady Mustangs () a 2-0 lead. Following a single and walk loaded the bases, Stephanie Higgins (Escondido, CA/Mission Hills High School) singled through the left side to score McDonald. The runs kept coming with Alicia Enriquez (Gilbert, AZ/Mesquite) reaching on a fielder's choice for an RBI and after a run scored on a throwing error, Ricki Gentry (Lakeside, CA/Christian High School) drove in the sixth run with a single up the middle leaving WNMU in front 6-0.


Fanning accounted for a run in the third as she opened the inning with a towering shot to left-center for a solo home run and a 7-0 lead. In the fourth, WNMU posted the final run of the game when McDonald hit a sharp groundball to second and beat the throw to score Gentry who opened the inning with a double.


WNMU had the bats going all game pounding out 12 hits while holding Fort Lewis College (FLC) to two. Higgins led the offense going 3-for-4 out of the leadoff position. Gentry, Fanning, McDonald and Breanna Diaz (Las Cruces, NM/Mayfield) all had two hits each.
Domi Shone (Gold Canyon, AZ/Mesquite) tossed four innings for the win (8-12) as she allowed no runs on just two hits. Arriel Smith (Oakhurst, CA/Yosemite High School) pitched the last inning and got the Skyhawks in order.


In the second game, the hits kept coming for the Lady Mustangs, but runs were hard to come by. WNMU struck first with a run in the top of the first as Gahn came through with a solid single through the left side to score Higgins.


FLC scored all of their runs in the third as they plated four runs on five hits to take a 4-1 advantage.


The Lady Mustangs threatened in the fifth and seventh innings. In the fifth, McDonald and Gahn delivered singles with two outs, but a groundout ended the inning. In the seventh, Aimee Vasquez (Ruidoso, NM/Ruidoso High School) began things with a perfectly placed single down the left field line. After a fielder's choice out, McDonald singled to right to put runners at first and second. A pop out marked the second out when Gentry singled to left to score Higgins and trim the deficit to two. With runners on the corners, a fielder's choice groundout followed ending the comeback and giving FLC the split.


WNMU held an 11-8 advantage in hits, with McDonald, Gahn, Gentry and Vasquez going for two hits each. Amber Taynton (Lakeside, CA/El Capitan) ended up with the loss (1-3) going 2.2 innings and allowing four earned runs. Shone came on in relief to throw the final 3.1 innings and gave up just one hit.


WNMU will remain on the road this coming weekend as they will play Colorado Christian and UCCS in Lakewood, Colo., on Saturday beginning at 12 p.m.