Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Both the pitching and hitting was clicking for No. 23 Colorado Mesa University Sunday as the Mavericks swept the Western New Mexico University softball team 8-0 and 9-1, both games ending in five innings in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action.

Redshirt junior Domi Shone (Gold Canyon, AZ/Mesquite) and McKenzie Surface went toe-to-toe in the opener through the first three innings keeping the game scoreless. CMU (34-7, 33-1 RMAC) got on the board first with a two-run homer by Brooke Hodgson in the fourth.

The Mavericks added six more in the fifth to take the run-rule victory.

CMU outhit WNMU 11-3 with senior Krystal Castillo (Silver City, NM/Silver City), sophomore Mariangela Garcia (Tucson, AZ/Desert View) and redshirt freshman Brooklyn Misenhimer (Tucson, AZ/Sahuaro) tallying hits. Four Mavericks came away with two-hit games and three also had at least two runs driven in.

Shone ended up with the loss (12-13) tossing the first 4.1 innings and allowing six earned runs. Freshman Tiana Salazar (Peoria, AZ/Peoria) wrapped up the final third of an inning and allowed two earned runs. Surface picked up her 17^th (17-3) win of the season going the five innings and had three strikeouts.

In game two, CMU scored three in the second, five in the third and another in the fourth to open a 9-0 lead. WNMU (21-30, 17-19 RMAC) put together a rally in the fifth with three hits. With one out, sophomore Madison Jones (Lakewood, CA/Lakewood) singled and then senior Alicia Enriquez (Gilbert, AZ/Mesquite) and junior Linzy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) added singles to load the bases. Garcia then drove in a run on a ball put in play that was mishandled by the shortstop for the error. That ended up being the only run as a strikeout and line out marked the final outs of the fifth inning and a win for the Mavericks.

CMU outhit WNMU 9-5 with Enriquez, Linzy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad), Garcia, junior Lacy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) and Jones tallying the hits. Hodgson and Zoe Pakes paced the Mavericks with two-hit games and Sarah Phillis drove in two runs.

Senior MaryJo Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) started and went 2.2 innings to end up with the loss (1-12) giving up six earned runs. Salazar worked the final 1.1 innings and allowed just one earned run. Rochelle Talamantes went the five innings for CMU to get the win (11-2) giving up just the one unearned run.

Following the weekend series, the Lady Mustangs sit seventh in the RMAC standings with one weekend left in the regular season. The top eight teams make the conference tournament that will be hosted by Colorado Mesa. MSU Denver, Chadron State and Regis have also clinched spots, while the other four slots are open for the taking.

Colorado Mines sits in fifth, UCCS in sixth and Adams State is right behind WNMU in eighth. CSU-Pueblo is threatening in the ninth spot, while Colorado Christian and Fort Lewis also remain alive. The Lady Mustangs can win two games this coming weekend against Regis to guarantee a spot in the tournament, regardless of what the teams that are chasing them do. WNMU can end up anywhere from fourth to out of the top eight in the standings in the final series.

WNMU will host Regis for a pair of doubleheaders Saturday starting at noon and Sunday at 10 a.m. Sunday will also be senior day for the five Lady Mustang seniors in Krystal Castillo (Silver City, NM/Silver City), Alicia Enriquez (Gilbert, AZ/Mesquite), Samantha Munoz (Peoria, AZ/Centennial), MaryJo Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) and Thailyza Ramirez (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad).