ALAMOSA, Colo. – The offense rolled up 23 hits and solid pitching helped propel the Western New Mexico University softball team to a Saturday sweep over Adams State University in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play. The Lady Mustangs took the games by scores of 5-2 and 6-4.

In the opener, the WNMU (9-12, 5-1 RMAC) offense was rolling tallying 13 hits in the win. Redshirt junior Domi Shone (Gold Canyon, AZ/Mesquite) dealt a shutout into the seventh inning and picked up her fifth win (5-6) giving up just two earned runs on six hits.

Right out of the gates, the Lady Mustangs grabbed the lead. Junior Linzy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) singled up the middle with one and then quickly scored on a double to right field by sophomore Mariangela Garcia (Tucson, AZ/Desert View). It was part of a three-hit game for Linzy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad).

It remained 1-0 into the fourth when WNMU tacked on two more. Freshman Ariana Maldonado (Albuquerque, NM/Cibola) doubled to start the inning and later scored on an error hit to left by senior Alicia Enriquez (Gilbert, AZ/Mesquite). Enriquez later scored to move the lead to 3-0 on a single by Linzy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad).

The runs kept coming in pairs with two more coming across for the Lady Mustangs in the seventh. A two-out rally began with an RBI double by Maldonado to bring home junior Lacy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) who started the fame with a single to shortstop. Senior Samantha Munoz (Peoria, AZ/Centennial), playing in her first game of the season, capped the inning with an RBI single to second base for the 5-0 lead.

ASU (3-15, 1-5 RMAC) tried to make things interesting in the bottom of the seventh getting two runs on three hits before Shone got a pop out to secure the win.

Eight Lady Mustangs had at least a hit, as Linzy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) added an RBI and run scored with her three-hit game. Garcia, Lacy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) and Maldonado all posted two hits apiece.

Harmon and Hays led the Grizzlies with two hits. Murphy took the loss in the circle (2-7) going four innings and allowing three runs, two earned, on six hits.

Just like the first game, the offense was ready from the start. Linzy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) started the first inning with a single. Following an out, senior Thailyza Ramirez (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) singled to center to put runners at the corners and Linzy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) would later score on a wild pitch.

In the third, Ramirez drove in the run herself as she doubled to right-center to plate Garcia who singled.

The Grizzlies answered back in the home half getting a two-run double by Riggins to tie the game at two after three.

WNMU went back in front for good in the fourth. With runners at the corners, redshirt freshman Brooklyn Misenhimer (Tucson, AZ/Sahuaro) came on to pinch-hit and singled to shortstop to bring in Munoz for the 3-2 lead. Munoz singled to start the inning.

The Lady Mustangs really broke the game open in the sixth. Three of the first four batters reached to load the bases with one out. Maldonado drove in the first run with an RBI groundout to second and then Garcia delivered the big two-out hit as she singled up the middle to score a pair and extend the lead to 6-2.

ASU threatened in the home half getting a pair of runs in before senior MaryJo Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) got the last out via a strikeout to end the game with runners at the corners.

MaryJo Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) came up big in relief tossing the final 4.2 innings to collect her first win (1-5) of the season allowing just two hits and two earned runs, along with three strikeouts. Freshman Tiana Salazar (Peoria, AZ/Peoria) started and went 2.1 innings giving up two earned runs on six hits.

Schroeder took the loss (0-5) for ASU going 4.0 innings and giving up three earned runs on seven hits.

Once again eight Lady Mustangs accounted for the 10 hits led by Garcia and Ramirez each posting two-hit games. Garcia paced the offense with two RBI.
Eight Grizzlies had a hit each, while Riggins had two RBI.

WNMU and ASU will wrap up their series on Sunday morning with another doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m.