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Western New Mexico University Athletics

Western New Mexico University Athletics
Ariana Maldonado
Jay Hemphill, WNMU
11
Winner New Mexico Highlands NMSB 2-3
7
Western N.M. WNMU 0-5
Winner
New Mexico Highlands NMSB
2-3
11
Final
7
Western N.M. WNMU
0-5
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
New Mexico Highlands NMSB 3 2 1 0 5 0 0 11 16 0
Western N.M. WNMU 1 2 0 1 3 0 0 7 13 2

W: B. Velasquez (1-0) L: Gutierrez, Aryana (0-1)

Game Recap: Softball | | Brian Kortz

Lady Mustangs and Cowgirls Battle in Another Slugfest

RIO RANCHO, N.M. – Just like the game the day before, both teams continued to pile up the hits and the runs, but despite scoring seven runs, the Western New Mexico University softball team fell just short as New Mexico Highlands took the 11-7 victory Sunday afternoon to conclude the Colorado Mesa Invitational.

The teams tallied 29 combined runs, with NMHU (2-3) holding the 16-13 edge. Aryana Gutierrez (Glendale, AZ/Deer Valley) got the start in the circle for the Lady Mustangs and the Cowgirls were able to strike first plating three runs in the top of the first inning.

WNMU (0-5) came right back in the home half when Gutierrez helped her own cause when she singled up the middle to bring home Ariana Maldonado (Albuquerque, NM/Cibola). NMHU got the run right back and added another as they brought in two in the second to move out to a 5-1 lead.

In the bottom of the second, WNMU kept swinging with Thalia O'Neill (Bloomfield, NM/Bloomfield) doubling in Alicia Habitzreuther (Sierra Vista, AZ/Buena) and then a Maldonado single to left-center plated Deidre Vega (Bayard, NM/Cobre) to leave it a 5-3 game after two.

Each time WNMU seemed to get closer, the Cowgirls had an answer. They came back with another run in the third to go back ahead 6-3. In the fourth, Maldonado doubled to left to score O'Neill to get back to within two at 6-4.

NMHU broke things open in the fifth when they scored five runs to take an 11-4 lead.

The Lady Mustangs came right back with three in the home half when Clarissa Moreno (Tucson, AZ/Desert View) doubled to right-center to score Mariangela Garcia (Tucson, AZ/Desert View). Yasmeen Gastelum (Phoenix, AZ/Pinnacle) hit a ground-rule double to center to score Justyce Millan-Martinez (Albuquerque, NM/St. Pius X) and then O'Neill scored on a passed ball to trim the NMHU lead to just four at 11-7 after five.

Neither team was able to score the rest of the way, as WNMU got just one more runner on base over the final two innings.

Maldonado, Gutierrez and O'Neill all recorded three hit games. Maldonado led the way with two RBI. Gutierrez ended up with the loss (0-1) as she went the first two innings of the game and allowed four earned runs. O'Neill went the next 2.2 innings and gave up six earned runs and then Lyana Waddell (Winkelman, AZ/San Manuel) finished off the game tossing the final 2.1 innings and allowing just four hits with no runs.

Legarreta, Osborn and Scarale all tallied three hits to lead the Cowgirls. Ziegler, Osborn and Scarale drove in two runs each. In the circle, Bogarin started and went the first 3.1 innings and allowed four earned runs. Velasquez came on in relief and snagged the win (1-0) as she went 2.2 innings and gave up two earned runs. Scarale went the final inning and didn't allow a baserunner in the seventh.

WNMU will now travel to St. George, Utah to compete in the Dixie State Tournament that will take place Feb. 8-10. The Lady Mustangs will face MSU Denver, CSU-Pueblo, Colorado Mesa, Hawaii Hilo and Dominican (CA).
 
 
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