GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – The schedule doesn't get any easier for the Western New Mexico University softball team as they will face the top seed in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference in Colorado Mesa University this weekend.
The Mavericks (30-7, 29-1 RMAC) have won 25 games in-a-row with the last loss coming on Feb. 27 at home against Colorado Christian. They are currently fourth in the latest South Central Regional rankings.
They boast one of the more powerful offenses not only in the RMAC, but in the nation ranking third nationally with a .364 batting average. Leading the way is Makayla Kovac as the senior shortstop is hitting at a .470 clip with 14 home runs, 16 doubles and 48 RBI. Leadoff batter Alexandria Dufour is right behind with a .449 average. Eleven players on their team hit for over .300 and four have at least seven home runs.
In the circle they hold a 3.10 ERA led by McKenzie Surface's 15-3 record in 21 appearances. The freshman has a 2.86 ERA in 110 innings pitched and leads the conference in victories. Rochelle Talamantes has an 8-2 record in 69.2 innings pitched with a 2.51 ERA. Brooke Hodgson, who was the main pitcher last year, has moved more to a utility role this season, but still has tossed 42 innings and is 6-0 with a 3.00 ERA.
The Lady Mustangs (21-26, 17-15 RMAC) have split each of their past two series and remain on the road after playing at Fort Lewis last weekend. WNMU sits fifth in the RMAC with just eight games remaining in the regular season.
Sophomore Mairangela Garcia leads the offense in several categories including a .392 batting average, 60 hits, 14 doubles, five home runs and 34 RBI in starting all 47 games this season. She is 11
th in the conference in batting average and leads the team in multi-hit games (17), multi-RBI games (9) and had the longest hitting streak on the team of 19 earlier this year. Senior
Alicia Enriquez (Gilbert, AZ/Mesquite) adds a .355 batting average with six doubles, a home run and 18 RBI. Junior
Linzy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) (.313) and freshman
Ariana Maldonado (Albuquerque, NM/Cibola) (.311) are also batting over .300. Junior
Breanna Aker (El Mirage, AZ/Apollo) (.400), freshman
Clarissa Moreno (Tucson, AZ/Desert View) (.351) and freshman
Carolyn Castillo (Silver City, NM/Silver City) (.313) provide power off the bench. Junior
Lacy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) is sixth in the RMAC and 41
st nationally in toughest to strikeout (29.6).
In the circle, redshirt junior
Domi Shone (Gold Canyon, AZ/Mesquite) has seen 153.2 innings this season in 34 appearances, starting 22. She is 12-11 with a 3.42 ERA and 79 strikeouts. Her three shutouts this season ranks her fourth in the RMAC and 88
th nationally and ranks in the top-five in the RMAC in victories. Freshman
Tiana Salazar (Peoria, AZ/Peoria) is 8-4 on the season in 23 appearances, starting 12. She has logged 77 innings and has a 4.18 ERA. Senior
MaryJo Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) has tossed 72.1 innings this season in 23 appearances and 10 starts.
As a team, WNMU ranks second in the conference and 13
th nationally in double plays per game (0.49). They also rank in the top-100 nationally in two other categories including doubles per game (1.53), seventh in the RMAC and 50
th nationally and in batting average (.299), eighth in the RMAC and 94
th nationally.
Last year, WNMU and Colorado Mesa faced each other five times with the Mavericks going 3-2. CMU won three of four during the regular season meeting in Silver City before WNMU won the big game late in the year claiming the 5-0 win in the first round of the RMAC Tournament.
WNMU and CMU will play a pair of doubleheaders both Saturday beginning at 2 p.m. and Sunday at 11 a.m. Live video and stats will be available for the games.
