Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 GOLDEN, Colo. – Down to their last out, the Western New Mexico University softball team rallied to gain a split against Colorado School of Mines on Saturday. After dropping the first game, 4-0, WNMU fought back to take game two, 10-8, in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action.

Game two looked to be going the way of the Lady Mustangs (19-22, 16-14 RMAC) with five runs over the first two innings. In the four-run first, Mariangela Garcia (Tucson, AZ/Desert View) began with a walk. After a pair of outs were recorded, Thailyza Ramirez (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) drilled a two-run homer. Mary Othon (Tucson, AZ/Desert View High School) followed with a single and then another two-run homer followed, this time by MaryJo Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) to give WNMU a 4-0 lead. Garcia helped build the lead to 5-0 with an RBI double to score Krystal Castillo (Silver City, NM/Silver City) in the second.

Colorado School of Mines (8-31, 6-19 RMAC) then fought their way back with five unearned runs in the third to tie the game at five.

In the fourth, WNMU pushed their way back in front with a two-out RBI double by Ramirez to score Stephanie Higgins (Escondido, CA/Mission Hills High School) to leave the Lady Mustangs in front, 6-5. In the home half of the inning, the Lady Orediggers regained the lead at 7-6 and it would remain that way into the seventh.

With two outs quickly recorded, Castillo got the inning going by being hit-by-pitch on a 1-2 count. Davi Martin (Silver City, NM/Silver City) added a single and then Garcia singled up the middle on the first pitch to score Castillo and tie the game at seven. Linzy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) added a single to right field on the first pitch to score Martin and after Higgins walked, Ramirez connected on a 2-2 pitch to right-center as her single scored both Linzy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) and Garcia to open a 10-7 lead.

CSM threatened in the home half plating a run and moving the tying runs into scoring position before Mikayla Austin (Florence, AZ/Florence ) recorded the last out.

WNMU outhit CSM, 16-10, with Garcia, Linzy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) and Ramirez leading the way with three hit games. Ramirez drove in five batting cleanup. In the circle, MaryJo Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) started and went 3.1 innings, giving up just one earned run. Austin tossed the final 3.2 innings allowing just one earned run on three hits along with three strikeouts to pick up her tenth (10-10) win of the season.

In the first game of the day, it was a pitcher's duel between Austin and Hallie Smith. The two would allow just seven combined hits. The Lady Orediggers had just three hits, but all of them left the yard as they hit three solo home runs, two in the second and another in the fourth, along with a steal of home to close the scoring.

WNMU threatened in the third getting the first two runners on before a strikeout, fielder's choice and another strikeout ended the inning. That would be the only inning in which the Lady Mustangs had a runner reach second.

 Garcia, Higgins, Ramirez and Martin all had a hit for WNMU. Rebecca Fallon led CSM with two hits and both were solo home runs.

WNMU and CSM will conclude their four-game series on Sunday with another doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m.