Softball Plays Pair of Wild Games Against Cowgirls, Grizzlies

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 RIO RANCHO, N.M. – The offense came to play in both games for the Western New Mexico University softball team, as the Lady Mustangs put up 19 runs in the two games Saturday. Despite the strong offensive showing, it wasn't enough as New Mexico Highlands held on for a 14-12 win in the first game and then Adams State won the second game 14-7 during the second day of the Colorado Mesa Invitational.

WNMU (0-4) did all they could to try and come back against NMHU (1-3), as they trailed 9-0 after the first three innings and then found their offensive footing in the fourth. To open the fourth, Deidre Vega (Bayard, NM/Cobre) got things going with a double to left. After a ground out moved her to third, she came home on a sacrifice fly by Mariangela Garcia (Tucson, AZ/Desert View). With two outs, the offense kept things going, as they put together three more hits before the inning ended, as Alicia Habitzreuther (Sierra Vista, AZ/Buena) followed the sac fly with a solo homer to left. Brooklyn Misenhimer (Tucson, AZ/Sahuaro) walked and then scored on a double to right-center by Clarissa Moreno (Tucson, AZ/Desert View). WNMU ended up loading the bases, as Aryana Gutierrez (Glendale, AZ/Deer Valley) singled and Ariana Maldonado (Albuquerque, NM/Cibola) walked, but a fielder's choice ground out to the shortstop ended the threat leaving NMHU with a 9-3 lead.

The Cowgirls scored two in the home half of the fourth to move in front 11-3. In the fifth, Vega again led off and reached with a seven-pitch walk. Grisdey Paredes-Alvarez took a 1-1 pitch and doubled to left-center to put runners at second and third. Garcia then worked a five-pitch walk to load the bases. Habitzreuther wasted little time capitalizing as she ripped a bases-clearing double to left-center on the first pitch to plate three runs. Habitzreuther then came home following a pair of groundouts, with the final one from Moreno bringing her home to leave it a 11-7 contest.

WNMU didn't score in the sixth, but NMHU added three important runs as it turned out in the home half to expand to a 14-7 lead.

The Lady Mustangs nearly came all the way back in the seventh. Paredes-Alvarez opened the frame reaching on an error. Garcia then also reached on an error to put runners on first and second.

Habitzreuther continued her big game, as she lined a three-run homer over the left-center field fence. Down just four, the offense kept coming. Misenhimer singled and then Moreno added a single, but on the play, Misenhimer was thrown out trying to stretch at third. Moreno then moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI single to right-center by Victoria Argana to leave the deficit at just three. Maldonado kept the train moving with a single up the middle and then Castillo singled to load the bases still with one out. Vega came up and didn't even have a chance to do anything as she was hit-by-pitch to bring in the 12^th run of the game. Paredes-Alvarez followed and she ripped a 1-2 pitch down the left field line, but it was snagged by the third baseman and she was able to turn it into a double play, getting the runner at first to end the game with NMHU hanging on for the 14-12 wild victory.

Habitzreuther had a huge game going 4-4 with three runs scored and seven RBI. Moreno also added two hits and a pair of RBI. Lyana Waddell (Winkelman, AZ/San Manuel) started in the circle and went the first 3.1 innings to end up with the loss (0-2). Thalia O'Neill (Bloomfield, NM/Bloomfield) was solid in relieve as she went the final 2.2 innings and gave up just three earned runs.

NMHU had four players post three hits, as Haley Rodriguez went 3-4 with three RBI. Isabella Scarale went 2-3 with five RBI. Scarale ended up getting the win (1-1) in the circle as she came on in relief of Brianna Velasquez and went 2.2 innings and allowed five earned runs. Desiree Bogarin came into the fire in the seventh and claimed the save as she went the final two-thirds and allowed a hit.
During the second game of the day, WNMU took the early 2-0 lead in the second, but fell behind after Adams State tallied six in the home half of the inning. WNMU kept fighting back, but weren't able to come all the way back.

WNMU got the scoring started in the second, as Garcia opened the frame with a single to shortstop. After she was forced out, Yasmeen Gastelum (Phoenix, AZ/Pinnacle) doubled to put runners at second and third. A strikeout marked the second out and then Gutierrez singled and advanced to second on the error, which brought home both runs for the 2-0 lead.

ASU (1-3) came back firing in the home half as they plated six runs for the 6-2 lead after two. In the third, Dominique Gonzales was hit-by-pitch to start the frame. Paredes-Alvarez then drilled a two-run homer on the first pitch to bring WNMU back to within two at 6-4 after three innings.

The Grizzlies got three runs back in the fourth to move in front 9-4 heading into the fifth. WNMU got right back into it in the fifth, plating three runs. Paredes-Alvarez, Habitzreuther and Garcia all walked to start the inning to load the bases. Following a pitching change, Moreno took advantage as she doubled on a 2-1 pitch to bring in all three runs and leave WNMU down just two, 9-7. The Grizzlies kept their offense going, as they scored three in the home half to move back in front 12-7.

WNMU threatened in the sixth and seventh, but weren't able to scratch across any runs. In the sixth, Gonzales singled and Habitzreuther was hit-by-pitch, but both were left stranded. In the seventh, Moreno singled and after two outs followed, Castillo singled, but a foul out followed to end the game, as ASU added two more in the sixth to take the 14-7 victory.

ASU held a 16-11 advantage on hits, while fielding hurt the Lady Mustangs as they committed five errors which led to five unearned runs. Moreno went 3-4 with three RBI, while Paredes-Alvarez added two RBI. O'Neill started in the circle and went the first five innings to end up with the loss (0-2) as she allowed nine earned runs. Waddell went the final inning and allowed just a pair of hits.

The Grizzlies had six players with at least two hits and one with three which was Stephanie Huff who went 3-4 with two RBI. Tyler Hays and Brittany Phillips each added three RBI apiece. In the circle, Whitney Fields started and grabbed the win (1-1) as she went four innings and allowed six earned runs. Kacee Schroeder went the final three innings and allowed just four hits to get the save.

WNMU will conclude the Colorado Mesa Tournament on Sunday when they will face New Mexico Highlands for the second time starting at 12:30 p.m.

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Players Mentioned

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

#12 Yasmeen Gastelum: C; 5' 7"; Sophomore; R/R

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

#16 Brooklyn Misenhimer: IN; 5' 6"; Redshirt Sophomore; R/R

#7 Clarissa Moreno: C; 5' 4"; Sophomore; R/R

#19 Deidre Vega: C; 5' 1"; Sophomore; R/R

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

Alicia Habitzreuther: IN; 5' 6"; Freshman; R/R

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

#3 Aryana Gutierrez: OF; 5' 2"; Junior; L/R

Players Mentioned

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

#12 Yasmeen Gastelum
: 5' 7"; Sophomore; R/R
: C

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

#16 Brooklyn Misenhimer
: 5' 6"; Redshirt Sophomore; R/R
: IN

#7 Clarissa Moreno
: 5' 4"; Sophomore; R/R
: C

#19 Deidre Vega
: 5' 1"; Sophomore; R/R
: C

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

Alicia Habitzreuther
: 5' 6"; Freshman; R/R
: IN

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

#3 Aryana Gutierrez
: 5' 2"; Junior; L/R
: OF