Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 SILVER CITY, N.M. – The Western New Mexico University softball team came close in a pair of games against Colorado Mesa University Saturday, but the Mavericks escaped with two, one-run victories, taking game one, 8-7 and the nightcap, 3-2, in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action.


In the first game, it came down to the end with both teams having a chance to pull out the victory.


Colorado Mesa University (CMU) broke through with a run in the second and third for a 2-0 lead.


Western New Mexico University (WNMU) broke out in a big way in the home half of the third. With one out, Domi Shone (Gold Canyon, AZ/Mesquite) and Aimee Vasquez (Ruidoso, NM/Ruidoso High School) each walked in front of a single to left-center by Stephanie Higgins (Escondido, CA/Mission Hills High School) to load the bases. Mariah McDonald (Silver City/Silver City High School) got the Lady Mustangs (13-22, 10-14 RMAC) on the board with a shot to right to trim the deficit in half. Following a pop out, Ricki Gentry (Lakeside, CA/Christian High School) singled to the shortstop to tie the game at two. The big hit followed as Mary Othon (Tucson, AZ/Desert View High School) jumped on the first pitch and drilled it to deep left field that cleared the fences by plenty for a grand slam and a 6-2 lead.


The Mavericks (17-10-1, 15-6-1) plated two runs each in the fifth, sixth and seventh to regain an 8-6 lead heading into the home half of the seventh.


Gentry opened the frame reaching on an error. After a fielder's choice out allowed Othon to reach at first, Tessa Fanning (Cottonwood, AZ/Mingus Union) walked on four pitches. Breanna Diaz (Las Cruces, NM/Mayfield) was hit by a 1-1 pitch to load the bases. A passed ball allowed everyone to move up and bring WNMU within a run, 8-7. BreAnna Eaker (Ramona, CA/James Madison) worked a full-count walk to re-load the bases still with just one out. CMU would then work out of the jam as a fielder's choice groundout forced an out at home and a fly ball to right marked the third and final out giving the Mavericks the one-run win.


CMU held a slight edge in hits, 9-8, with Higgins and Othon accounting for two hits apiece. Othon led in RBI with four coming on her grand slam. Shone and Eaker each split time in the circle with Shone starting, lasting four innings giving up three earned runs, while Eaker went the other three innings allowing two earned runs on just two hits.


In game two, CMU broke through with a run in the first and it would remain a 1-0 contest into the fourth. The Lady Mustangs would come back to take the lead with a pair of runs in the inning. Kale Gahn (Phoenix, AZ/Pinnacle High School) opened with a single to right and would later move up on a passed ball just in time to score on a deep double to center off the bat of Fanning as the ball hit just below the top of the fence to score Gahn and tie the game. After a single, Eaker reached on a fielding error by the second baseman that brought home Fanning to put WNMU in front, 2-1.


CMU clawed back with a pair in the sixth scoring one on a single up the middle and the other on a bunt single with the bases loaded to take a 3-2 lead.


The Lady Mustangs threatened in the sixth getting runners at the corners with two outs, but the Mavericks induced a groundout back to the pitcher to end the inning.


In the seventh, the Mavericks worked around a leadoff walk to hold on to another one-run victory.


CMU outhit WNMU, 10-6, as six Lady Mustangs accounted for the hits. Eaker pitched the entire game in the circle, giving up just two earned runs, while striking out five.


WNMU will close out their four-game series against CMU with another doubleheader Sunday morning beginning at 11 a.m.