DENVER, Colo. – With just four games remaining in the regular season, it all comes down to the last weekend for the Western New Mexico University softball team as they try to make the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament playing against Regis University.

The Lady Mustangs are currently in the seventh spot, but have several possibilities to either move up in the standings or even not make the tournament. The highest WNMU can get is fifth, but Adams State controls that spot and with a win would clinch that seed. Then it comes down to the sixth seed where Colorado Christian currently occupies. The Cougars are 15-15 in conference and play at Adams State. If they win three games, WNMU wouldn't be able to catch. If they win two, WNMU can pass with four wins and if CCU only wins one, the Lady Mustangs could pass with two wins. If CCU wins no games that would mean WNMU would need one win to pass, but that would also allow UC-Colorado Springs, Fort Lewis to pass with two wins, New Mexico Highlands and Chadron State with three wins. If CCU and WNMU both win one game that would open the door for UCCS and FLC to pass with three wins, while NMHU could pass with four wins.  

Then the current seed occupied by WNMU in seventh could also have several options. Assuming the top six seeds are already secured, the Lady Mustangs can secure without help from other teams with four wins. If they win three, UCCS and FLC can tie by winning all four of their games. If WNMU wins two games, UCCS, FLC and NMHU would have to win all four games to pass on percentage points. If the Lady Mustangs win one, UCCS, FLC, NMHU can pass with three wins and CSC would have a shot to pass with four wins. If WNMU wins no games, they would still have a shot to get in, but UCCS, FLC, NMHU could pass with two wins, while CSC could pass with three wins.

That would then leave the eighth seed as an option, but it would also play out similar to the seventh seed.

WNMU is 20-27 overall and 17-19 in the RMAC with Stephanie Higgins (Escondido, CA/Mission Hills High School) and Mariangela Garcia (Tucson, AZ/Desert View) both hitting over .400. Higgins is hitting .424, while Garcia holds a .423 average. Higgins also leads the team in hits (64), doubles (16), home runs (10), RBI (46), slugging percentage (.742) and on-base percentage (.494). Garcia has added 58 hits, 13 doubles, four home runs and 33 RBI. Mary Othon (Tucson, AZ/Desert View High School) has a .377 batting average along with seven home runs, 36 RBI and nine doubles. Linzy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad), coming off of a big weekend, is now batting .351 with five tripls, three home runs, 21 RBI and 11 doubles. Davi Martin (Silver City, NM/Silver City) (.341) and Thailyza Ramirez (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) (.313) are both hitting over .300 as they team hits .330. In the circle, Mikayla Austin (Florence, AZ/Florence ) has a 5.15 ERA, along with 10 wins in 34 appearances, three saves, eight complete games, 126.1 innings pitched and 124 strikeouts. MaryJo Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) has a 5.80 ERA, six wins in 38 appearances, three saves, and three complete games in 132.2 innings. Breanna Aker (El Mirage, AZ/Apollo) has added 22 innings and a win in 12 appearances.

Nationally, the Lady Mustangs are still in several categories. Higgins and Garcia are both in the top-100 in batting average, Higgins is 60^th in doubles per game, 73^rd in home runs, 91st in on-base percentage, 36^th in RBI and 64^th in slugging percentage. Linzy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) is 79^th in sacrifice hits per game, 42^nd in toughest to strikeout, 16^th in triples and 46^th in triples per game, Ramirez is 50^th in sacrifice flies, Martin is 80^th in toughest to strikeout, Austin and MaryJo Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) are 23^rd in saves, Austin is 63^rd in strikeouts and 72^nd in strikeouts per game.

As a team, WNMU ranks in the top-five in several categories including third in batting average, fourth in double plays per game, fifth in doubles per game, fifth in home runs per game, fifth in on-base percentage, fourth in scoring, fourth in slugging percentage and fourth in triples per game.

Regis is 26-16 overall and 21-10 in the RMAC, good for third in the conference. They recently won the final game of a four-game set at home against MSU Denver and are ranked sixth in the South Central Region. The Lady Rangers hit .309 as a team, but hold opponents to just a .268 clip. Four players hit for over .300 led by a .366 average by Carlie Sexton and leads in RBI with 38. Nicole Hull leads the way in home runs with six. In the circle, Nicole Aviles leads the team in almost every category including wins (17), innings pitched (166.2) and ERA (3.19). Hull is the only other pitcher to see time this year as she has a 4.66 ERA and nine wins in 112.2 innings pitched. Last year, WNMU and Regis split the two games they played in a pod series with WNMU claiming a run-rule 9-0 victory in five innings and falling just short in the second game in eight innings, 2-3.

WNMU and Regis will open their four-game series with a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at noon. Live stats will be available for all games.