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Western New Mexico University Athletics

Western New Mexico University Athletics
Carolyn Castillo
Jay Hemphill, WNMU
4
Tex. A&M-Kingsville TAMUK 27-24, 13-15 LSC
7
Winner Western N.M. WNMU 5-41, 3-25 LSC
Tex. A&M-Kingsville TAMUK
27-24, 13-15 LSC
4
Final
7
Western N.M. WNMU
5-41, 3-25 LSC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Tex. A&M-Kingsville TAMUK 1 2 0 0 1 0 0 4 13 2
Western N.M. WNMU 0 0 5 0 0 2 X 7 9 1

W: Waddell, Lyana (4-21) L: Breanna Smith (15-15)

11
Winner Tex. A&M-Kingsville TAMUK 27-25, 14-15 LSC
2
Western N.M. WNMU 5-42, 3-26 LSC
Winner
Tex. A&M-Kingsville TAMUK
27-25, 14-15 LSC
11
Final
2
Western N.M. WNMU
5-42, 3-26 LSC
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 R H E
Tex. A&M-Kingsville TAMUK 0 0 2 0 4 5 11 10 2
Western N.M. WNMU 0 0 2 0 0 0 2 4 1

W: Sarah Gilbert (12-8) L: Waddell, Lyana (4-22)

Game Recap: Softball | | Brian Kortz

Castillo's Three-Run Homer Lifts Softball to Split Against Javelinas

SILVER CITY, N.M. – Junior Carolyn Castillo (Silver City, NM/Silver City) kept battling and finally got a pitch she liked. What followed was a no doubt three-run homer to center that helped turn around game one and lead the Western New Mexico University softball team to a 7-4 victory over Texas A&M-Kingsville. The Javelinas recovered in game two defeating the Lady Mustangs 11-2 in six innings during Lone Star Conference action Friday.

WNMU (5-42, 3-26 LSC) got the boost they needed from Castillo in the third. With Texas A&M-Kingsville (28-24, 14-15 LSC) jumping out to a 3-0 lead entering the third, the Lady Mustangs used a big five-run inning to take the victory.

A key error by the Javelinas started the inning when junior Alexis Gonzalez (Phoenix, AZ/Deer Valley) reached on a fielding error by the second baseman. After an out, junior Tycee Coplan (Taylor, AZ/Snowflake) reached on a bunt single and then a fly out put runners at second and third with two outs. Senior Mariangela Garcia (Tucson, AZ/Desert View) worked the count back from down 0-2, to 2-2 and then ripped a single through the right side to score Gonzales. Then a wild pitch followed to move Garcia to second, but the catcher tried to throw behind the runner at third, but it got away to allow Coplan to score. Redshirt freshman Alicia Habitzreuther (Sierra Vista, AZ/Buena) walked on four pitches just in time to bring Castillo to the plate. After two quick balls, she then fouled off four straight pitches before connecting on a three-run shot over the center field fence to give WNMU a 5-3 lead.

Texas A&M-Kingsville used a long ball of their own in the fifth to get back to within one, but WNMU made sure to add some insurance runs in the sixth. After three straight singles by Castillo, junior Yasmeen Gastelum (Phoenix, AZ/Pinnacle) and Gonzalez, freshman Dominique Gonzales (Chandler, AZ/Hamilton) hit a shot back to the pitcher that she recovered on to get the out at first, but on the play pinch-runner sophomore Justyce Millan-Martinez (Albuquerque, NM/St. Pius X) scored. Coplan added an RBI single to short to give WNMU a 7-4 lead entering the seventh.

With one out, the Javelinas tallied a double and then after a fielder's choice out put two outs on the board, they put together a rally. A pair of singles loaded the bases, but sophomore Lyana Waddell (Winkelman, AZ/San Manuel) got the final out she needed when a line out to second ended the game and gave WNMU the victory.

Texas A&M-Kingsville ended up outhitting WNMU 13-9 with Garcia going 3-3 with both a run scored and RBI. Castillo and Coplan had two hits apiece, as Castillo led the way in RBI with three. Rachael Longoria had three hits for the Javelinas. Three others added two hit games.

In the circle, Waddell picked up her fourth (4-21) win of the season after going all seven innings and allowing four earned runs. Breanna Smith also tossed a complete game for Texas A&M-Kingsville throwing six innings and taking the loss (15-15), despite allowing seven runs (two earned) and adding 11 strikeouts.

Game two was scoreless into the third when both teams hit home runs. Following a two-run shot by the Javelinas in the top of the third, WNMU quickly answered in the home half. With two outs quickly on the board, Coplan reached on a fielding error by the shortstop and then scored when junior Ariana Maldonado (Albuquerque, NM/Cibola) drilled a two-run homer to left-center to tie the game at two. It was Maldonado's 11th blast of the year which is the most since the 2015 season when Stephanie Higgins had 12.

Texas A&M-Kingsville took the lead for good in the fifth when they plated four runs on four hits. WNMU tried to answer back in the home half with a pair of runners on, but a groundout ended the threat. In the sixth, the Javelinas put the game out of reach when Anastasia Leibas hit a grand slam to take an 11-2 lead.

Texas A&M-Kingsville held a 10-4 edge on hits, with Maldonado leading the Lady Mustangs with two hits and two RBI. Roxy Chapa, Leibas and Longoria all had two hit games for the Javelinas, with Leibas driving in six runs.

In the circle, Waddell started back-to-back games as she went the first 4.2 innings and ended up with the loss (4-22) after allowing six runs (five earned). Habitzreuther went the final 1.1 innings. Sarah Gilbert started for the Javelinas and tossed all six innings to get the win (12-8) after allowing two runs, both unearned.

The two teams will close out their weekend series with another doubleheader tomorrow (Saturday) starting at noon. The first game will count as a LSC game. It will also be senior day for Aryana Gutierrez (Glendale, AZ/Deer Valley), Mariangela Garcia (Tucson, AZ/Desert View), Brooklyn Misenhimer (Tucson, AZ/Sahuaro), Valeria Luna (El Paso, TX/Jefferson) and Victoria Arganda (San Bernardino, CA/Pacific). All five will be honored approximately 15-20 minutes before the start of game one Saturday.
 
 
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