LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The 2014 Western New Mexico University softball team opens the season this Friday, as they will spend the first few weeks away from home before hosting their first games in Silver City on Feb. 22 and 23.


For the fifth straight year, they will head to Las Vegas to compete in the Desert Stinger. Over the course of three days, the Lady Mustangs will play against Texas-Permian Basin, Notre Dame de Namur, West Texas A&M, St. Mary's (TX) and Central Washington. The Lady Mustangs went 3-2 in the Stinger last year, as the only team they will play for the second straight year will be West Texas A&M.


Eight of the nine players that saw significant time in the field are back for the Lady Mustangs. Senior Tessa Fanning (Cottonwood, AZ/Mingus Union) led the team in batting average (.362), tied for home runs (4) and led in walks (25). Senior Ricki Gentry (Lakeside, CA/Christian High School) was second in average (.361), while collecting a home run, 29 RBI and 10 doubles. Junior Stephanie Higgins (Escondido, CA/Mission Hills High School) hit .331 and led the team in hits (60), doubles (13), runs scored (32) and tied for the home run lead (4), while posting 14 RBI. Senior Mariah McDonald (Silver City/Silver City High School) hit .306, along with 10 doubles, a home run and a team-high 31 RBI. Senior Kale Gahn (Phoenix, AZ/Pinnacle High School) also hit over .300 (.305), tallied the second-most hits (51) and also had eight doubles, a triple three home runs and 26 RBI. Sophomore Alicia Enriquez (Gilbert, AZ/Mesquite) had a .278 batting average, three doubles, a team-high two triples and 13 RBI. She also led the way in steals, going 7-of-7. Sophomore Mary Othon (Tucson, AZ/Desert View High School) tied for the team lead in home runs with four, while also recording 25 RBI, nine doubles and a .269 batting average. Senior Breanna Diaz (Las Cruces, NM/Mayfield) had five doubles and seven RBI while hitting .259.


Sophomores Samantha Munoz (Peoria, AZ/Centennial) and Krystal Castillo (Silver City, NM/Silver City) also saw significant time off the bench for WNMU. Munoz started 28 games and played in 33 producing 15 hits, nine runs scored and three RBI. Castillo added 13 runs scored, as she started 11 games and played in 38.


In the circle, sophomore Domi Shone (Gold Canyon, AZ/Mesquite) returns after leading the team in almost every pitching category. She had the most wins (11), appearances (32), games started (12), and innings pitched (165). Senior Amber Taynton (Lakeside, CA/El Capitan) logged 41.2 innings and posted a win and a complete game.


A pair of players will return from being out last year in redshirt freshman Davi Martin (Silver City, NM/Silver City) and redshirt junior Alexis Lawton (Gilbert, AZ/Mesquite).


New players to the program include freshmen Kylie Christman (Litchfield Park, AZ/Millennium), Breanna Aker (El Mirage, AZ/Apollo), Linzy and Lacy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) and sophomore Chyler Imai (Kapaau, HI/Kohala), who has spent the past two seasons playing for the Lady Mustang volleyball team.


The WNMU softball team will make trips to Las Vegas, St. George, Utah and then Lubbock, Tex., before hosting their first games on Feb. 22 and 23 against RMAC opponent Colorado Christian.