SILVER CITY, N.M. – Having entered the day needing two wins to secure a spot in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Tournament, the Western New Mexico University softball team fell just short against Regis University Sunday. The Rangers took the first game 13-5 and then held off a furious rally by the Lady Mustangs in the second game for the 6-5 win.

This was the last regular season games of the year and WNMU just missed reaching the RMAC Tournament. Adams State split against Fort Lewis and CSU-Pueblo won both against New Mexico Highlands, which meant two wins were needed by WNMU to reach the postseason tournament. The Lady Mustangs were the only team in the conference to play all 40 RMAC contests.

The first game was an offensive affair with the teams combining for 18 runs and 26 hits. Regis (26-19, 21-13 RMAC) opened the scoring right away with a five-run first inning, thanks in large part to a grand slam off the bat of Carlie Sexton.

Sophomore Mariangela Garcia (Tucson, AZ/Desert View) answered with her own long ball in the home half leaving it a 5-1 game. Junior Lacy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) added a solo shot in the second to trim the deficit to three at 5-2 after two.

Following a Ranger run in the third, WNMU (21-34, 17-23 RMAC) drew even closer when Garcia singled home junior Linzy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) after she doubled to start the frame and later Garcia came home on a passed ball making it a 6-4 Regis lead.

The teams traded runs in the fourth as a Ranger run was matched with a Lady Mustangs run in the bottom of the inning when Linzy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) singled home junior pinch-runner Breanna Aker (El Mirage, AZ/Apollo).

Regis took over after that taking a 7-5 lead and scoring a run in the fifth, four in the sixth and one more in the seventh for the 13-5 victory.

Regis led in hit department, 16-10, with eight Lady Mustangs coming away with at least a hit. Linzy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) and Garcia each posted two-hit games. Garcia added two RBI. Delaney McGinn had a three-hit game for the Rangers, while Sexton drove in four runs off of her first inning grand slam.

Nicole Hull started for Regis and went the first three innings allowing three earned runs. Nicole Aviles came on in relief to get the win (14-8) tossing the final four innings and allowing just one earned run. Redshirt junior Domi Shone (Gold Canyon, AZ/Mesquite) logged the first 5.2 innings and ended up with the loss (12-15) giving up nine earned runs. Senior MaryJo Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) worked a solid 1.1 innings allowing just one earned run.

In the second game, the Rangers looked ready to roll to the victory until WNMU found late life in the seventh.

With the game scoreless through the first two innings, Regis broke the scoreless tie with two in the third. They would add another run in the fourth and then three in the seventh to take a 6-0 lead. Little did they know at the time that those three runs in the top of the seventh would prove to be huge.

Lacy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) started the frame with a five-pitch walk. After a lineout by freshman Clarissa Moreno (Tucson, AZ/Desert View) that took the centerfielder to deep center, Aker laid down a sacrifice bunt that was misplayed by the first baseman to put runners at first and second. Senior Alicia Enriquez (Gilbert, AZ/Mesquite) singled through the right side to load the bases. Senior Krystal Castillo (Silver City, NM/Silver City) cashed in with a single to center that brought in two runs. Another error on the next ball put in play, this time by the shortstop helped to re-load the bases for Garcia. She wasted little time jumping on the first pitch she saw doubling to left to plate two more runs and leave the Lady Mustangs down just two at 6-4. With still just one out, a groundout followed for the second out. Senior Samantha Munoz (Peoria, AZ/Centennial) kept the game alive for WNMU with a single through the right side to move the Lady Mustangs to within one at 6-5. Linzy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) nearly brought in the tying run from third, as her hit nearly got past the second baseman, but was handled for the final out to end the furious rally.

Regis held a 13-7 edge on hits with Krystal Castillo (Silver City, NM/Silver City) posting a two-hit game, while driving in two tied with Garcia for the most on the team. Nicole Hull tallied three hits to lead the Rangers, while McGinn and Ashley Prescott drove in two runs apiece.

Hull went the distance for the Rangers to get the win (12-8) as she gave up just one earned run. MaryJo Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) started the second game and went all seven innings to end up with the hard-luck loss (1-14). She allowed five earned runs and added two strikeouts.

WNMU finished the season ninth in the RMAC standings. Seniors 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) were all honored between games for their time playing at WNMU.