Softball Welcomes UTPB for Three-Game Series This Weekend

SILVER CITY, N.M. – Down to the final four series of the regular season, the Western New Mexico University softball team will host UT Permian Basin this Friday and Saturday in Lone Star Conference action.

The Lady Mustangs (1-34, 0-18 LSC) have two home series left as after the UT Permian Basin (5-31, 2-16 LSC) series, WNMU will host Cameron in two weeks on Apr. 21-22 to conclude the home portion of the season.

WNMU is coming off of a tough series at Midwestern State in which they had chances to break through in all three, but fell short. Junior Mariangela Garcia (Tucson, AZ/Desert View) leads the team with a .346 batting average, along with 10 doubles, a home run and 13 RBI. Seniors Lacy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) and Linzy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) are both batting over .300 with Lacy at .314 and Linzy at .312. Lacy leads the team in both home runs with two and RBI with 20, while Linzy adds a team-high 24 runs scored, a home run, 11 RBI and two triples. Sophomore Ariana Maldonado (Albuquerque, NM/Cibola) is in double-figures in terms of RBI as well with 12. The Lady Mustangs bat .263 as a team and allow a .379 average.

In the circle, redshirt senior Domi Shone (Gold Canyon, AZ/Mesquite) returned to action as she leads the team in innings pitched with 90.1, along with a 6.12 ERA in 21 appearances. She has four complete games this season and 41 strikeouts. Freshman Lyana Waddell (Winkelman, AZ/San Manuel) has tossed 77 innings in 26 appearances, with a win and six complete games. Freshman Thalia O'Neill (Bloomfield, NM/Bloomfield) has logged 41.2 innings in 14 appearances that includes two complete games. The Lady Mustangs have an 8.31 ERA and opponents have a 2.06 ERA.

Garcia ranks eighth in the LSC in doubles, while Linzy Granger (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad) is sixth in hit-by-pitch per game (0.23). As a team, WNMU is fourth in the conference in double players per game (0.37), good for 52^nd nationally. They also rank ninth in triples per game (0.06).

Fellow Lone Star Conference newcomer UT Permian Basin has had a tough first season as well with two conference victories coming against Midwestern State and Texas A&M-Kingsville. They are currently on an 11-game losing streak with their last win coming on Mar. 14 at Oklahoma Panhandle, 9-5. This past weekend they ran into a tough matchup with nationally-ranked West Texas A&M as they lost two via run-rule and the other 9-2.

The Falcons are led offensively by Cindy Juarez who is hitting .371 with six home runs and 17 RBI. Adrianna Berzoza is second on the team with a .296 average and has hit four home runs and 16 RBI. As a team they are hitting .233, while opponents have a .372 average. In the circle, Chelsae Faries has seen the most time with 75.1 innings and is 2-8 with a 6.57 ERA in 17 appearances. Three other pitchers have tossed at least 38.1 innings, but all have at least a 9.27 ERA. UTPB as a team holds a 9.29 ERA and opponents have a 3.32 ERA.

The two teams will play a single game on Friday at 2 p.m., followed by a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 11 a.m. The Lady Mustangs will be holding a moment of silence before each game of the day to honor Danielle Cordova who tragically passed away this week. She was in her first season playing softball at New Mexico Highlands University.

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Players Mentioned

#14 Mariangela Garcia: SS; 5' 5"; Junior; R/R

#6 Lacy Granger: IN; 5' 2"; Senior; R/R

#2 Linzy Granger: 2B; 5' 2"; Senior; R/R

#9 Ariana Maldonado: OF; 5' 3"; Sophomore; R/R

#23 Domi Shone: P; 5' 8"; Redshirt Senior; L/L

#11 Lyana Waddell: P; 5' 4"; Freshman; R/R

#13 Thalia O'Neill: P; 5' 1"; Freshman; R/R

Players Mentioned

#14 Mariangela Garcia
: 5' 5"; Junior; R/R
: SS

#6 Lacy Granger
: 5' 2"; Senior; R/R
: IN

#2 Linzy Granger
: 5' 2"; Senior; R/R
: 2B

#9 Ariana Maldonado
: 5' 3"; Sophomore; R/R
: OF

#23 Domi Shone
: 5' 8"; Redshirt Senior; L/L
: P

#11 Lyana Waddell
: 5' 4"; Freshman; R/R
: P

#13 Thalia O'Neill
: 5' 1"; Freshman; R/R
: P