Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 DENVER, Colo. – The results were reversed Sunday as the Western New Mexico University softball team started the day with a 5-4 win over Metro State University before nearly rallying to beat Regis University in extra innings as the Rangers held on for the 3-2 victory in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action.


The first game against the Roadrunners (12-6, 8-5 RMAC) was a pitcher's duel through the first three innings before WNMU (8-21, 6-10 RMAC) broke through in the fourth. Senior Mariah McDonald (Silver City/Silver City High School) started the frame with a double and after senior Kale Gahn (Phoenix, AZ/Pinnacle High School) reached on an error, senior Ricki Gentry (Lakeside, CA/Christian High School) singled in the first run to score McDonald. Sophomore Mary Othon (Tucson, AZ/Desert View High School) wasted little time cashing in more runs as she followed with a double on a 0-2 pitch to score sophomore pinch-runner Alicia Enriquez (Gilbert, AZ/Mesquite). Senior Breanna Diaz (Las Cruces, NM/Mayfield) grounded out to second to drive in freshman pinch-runner Linzy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) for the third run of the inning. Freshman pinch-hitter Lacy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) knocked in the last run with a single on a 0-2 pitch to first leaving the Lady Mustangs ahead 4-0.


MSU got on the board in the home half of the inning with a run, to which the Lady Mustangs answered back with a run in the fifth as Gentry hit a sacrifice fly to plate junior Stephanie Higgins (Escondido, CA/Mission Hills High School) who singled earlier and would take a 5-1 lead to the bottom of the fifth.


The Roadrunners would make things interesting with two runs in the fifth and then another in the sixth to pull to within one before senior Amber Taynton (Lakeside, CA/El Capitan) came on in relief in the seventh to post a 1-2-3 inning for the save.


MSU held a 10-9 edge in hits as nine Lady Mustangs had a hit each and Gentry led the way in RBI with two. Sophomore Domi Shone (Gold Canyon, AZ/Mesquite) (7-10) started in the circle and went six innings to collect the win allowing four earned runs before Taynton recorded her first save of the season in the seventh.


Taynton and Lee would go toe-to-toe in the second game as Regis (9-16, 8-7 RMAC) held on for the 3-2 win in eight innings. The Rangers opened the scoring with two in the second and would hold their 2-0 lead all the way into the seventh.


It would take just a pair of hits at the start of the seventh to help WNMU come back and tie the game. Junior Alexis Lawton (Gilbert, AZ/Mesquite) started the frame with a single to second and Othon, entering as a pinch-hitter, connected on a clutch two-run homer on a 2-2 pitch to knot the game at two. The Lady Mustangs nearly won the game as Higgins would later double and after Gahn was intentionally walked, a groundout moved the game into extra innings.


Taynton and the Lady Mustangs looked ready to get out of the eighth without any damage when King doubled with two outs to score Lorenz, who was hit-by-pitch to start the frame moving the Rangers in front, 3-2. Gaffin, on in relief of Lee, worked a scoreless eighth to help Regis hang on for the 3-2 victory.


Regis outhit WNMU, 9-6, as again no Lady Mustang had more than one hit with six players tallying a hit. Othon had both runs batted in. In the circle, Taynton (1-8) went all eight innings allowing just one earned run.


WNMU will return home this coming weekend when they will host UC-Colorado Springs (8-8, 6-5 RMAC) in a pair of doubleheaders first on Saturday beginning at 12 p.m.