Silver City, N.M. – Continuing their first road trip of the season, Western New Mexico University's Softball had a slugfest against the Mustangs of Midwestern State University dropping both games at Mustang Park. WNMU out hit MSU in the first game 11 hits to 7 in the 10-7 loss. The second game was 10-2 victory for MSU, as they out hit WNMU by seven hits.
"We came out swinging in the first game. We tallied up a bunch of hits, but timely hitting at end of the game was needed" said Head Softball Coach Elsa Cocker.
The Mustangs scored put a run up in the first four innings and were leading 6-4 going into the bottom of the fifth. After back-to-back innings of no runs, MSU got their offense going scoring three-runs to retake the lead, 7-6. In the sixth inning, MSU'sMattye Tyler smacked her second homerun of the game giving MSU three more insurance runs.
After a strong performance Friday night at Texas Women's University, Bryana Munoz (Dexter, NM/Dexter High School), got the nod in game one. Munoz threw her second complete game but the outcome was not. Munoz final stat line 6 IP, 7 ER, 7 H, 7 K, 5 BB.
WNMU tallied 11 hits as every Mustang in the starting lineup had a hit. Brittany Santellanes (El Paso, TX/Americas HS) and Kaila Burnett (Nanakuli, HI/Nanakuli High & Intermediate School) had two hits each and Santellanes drove in a team-high of two runs. Though no WNMU hitters walked, they did have 7 HBP's. Marina Garcia (Tucson, AZ/Desert View HS) and Santellanes were plunked twice.
Midwestern State, only had 7 hits but they made them count. Three of MSU's hits were homeruns bringing in 7 runs.
Mustangs to highlight in Game 1:
B. Santellanes: 2-2, 1 triple, 2 RBI, 1 R, 2 HBP
K. Burnett: 2-4, 1 RBI, 1 R
GAME 2
Brittany Santellanes (El Paso, TX/Americas HS) started game two for WNMU. She had a strong first inning but MSU started to get the bats hot. More than half of MSU's hits were extra-base hits including four doubles and three homeruns. Satnellanes final stat line 5.2 IP, 13 H, 10 R (8 ER), 1 K, 3 BB
In the second inning, Santellanes gave up four runs after three straight doubles and a two-out single. WNMU answered back scoring a run in the third by a Grisdey Paredes-Alvarez (Tucson, AZ/Sunnyside HS) single making the score 4-1.
"Turner did a really good job in defending hitters. Defensively we were given opportunities to make outs that could have kept us in the ball game. At times we showed that we can make big plays" said Cocker.
WNMU couldn't get their offense going having just six hits, three coming from Santellanes. The Mustangs also left 8 on base along with three walks and a HBP.
MSU's next six runs all came off homeruns. WNMU couldn't get anything going, scoring only one more run. The game was called after MSU got ahead 10-2 and the game was called after six innings due run limit.
Mutangs to highlight in Game 2:
B. Santallanes: 3-3 (batted 1.000 on the day)
G. Paredes-Alaverez: 1-2, 1 RBI, BB
"We are playing with great confidence. The elegance of the defense is a sight to see and our hitting tenacities are only going to get better. We are going to continue to get stronger as the season progresses" said Cocker.
The Mustangs will play two series against Texas A&M-Commerce Friday, March 12th, and UT Tyler on March 14th at Mustang Field for the first home games held at WNMU in over a year!
