Game 1: ALPINE, TX. — Western New Mexico Mustangs (9-8, 5-2 LSC) roared to a commanding 13-2 win over Sul Ross State University (2-12, 0-7 LSC) Saturday afternoon at Lobo Softball Field.
Western New Mexico put the game out of reach with a massive eight-run rally in the seventh inning, racking up 13 hits and taking advantage of three Lobo errors. The Mustangs wasted no time, jumping ahead in the first inning. Ciara Spencer (Gallup, NM/Gallup High School) walked and hustled to third on Abbi Markus's (Sun City, AZ/Willow Canyon High School) single. Lauryn Carbajal's (Tucson, AZ/Sunnyside High School) sac fly brought home Lanessa Morales (Vail, AZ/Cienega High School), giving the Mustangs an early 2-0 lead.
Hannah Martinez (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad High School) reached on an error in the second, and Addisen Byers (Albuquerque, NM/La Cueva High School) doubled, pushing across an unearned run. Another Lobo miscue let Byers score, stretching the lead to 4-0. By the fifth inning, Western New Mexico added to their tally. Markus singled, and pinch runner Aleeya Barwick (Mesa, AZ/Desert Ridge High School) scored on Madison George's (San Miguel, CA/Templeton High School) sac fly, making it 5-0.
Sul Ross State fought back in the sixth with a two-run homer by A. Apodaca, cutting the deficit to 5-2. But Western New Mexico blew it open in the seventh. Maria Ruelaz (Silver City, NM/Silver High School)'s single and an error plated two runs. Antonya Lucero's (Albuquerque, NM/La Cueva High School) groundout, along with singles from Hannah Martinez (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad High School), Byers, and Spencer, kept the hits coming. George singled for another RBI, and Morales hammered a two-RBI double, with Jenna Peters's (Lake Elsinore, CA/Temescal Canyon High School) single capping off the scoring spree. The Mustangs racked up an 8-0 run, sealing their 13-2 triumph. George shone with three hits and two RBIs, while Morales chipped in two hits, including a double, and led with three RBIs.
Alixe De Anda was stellar on the mound, pitching a complete game with eight strikeouts and only two earned runs over seven innings. Spencer's two runs and an RBI reflected her all-around impact.
Game 2:
ALPINE, TX. — The WNMU Mustangs (10-8, 6-2 LSC) dominated Sul Ross State University (2-13, 0-8 LSC) with a commanding 6-0 win on Saturday at Lobo Softball Field, highlighted by a stellar pitching performance that limited the Lobos to just five hits.
Western New Mexico came out swinging, putting three runs on the board in the first inning and adding two more in the third, setting an early tone. The Mustangs' pitching staff held strong, recording a shutout with four strikeouts.
The Mustangs wasted no time in the first inning. Ciara Spencer (Gallup, NM/Gallup High School) walked, advanced to third on a single and a wild pitch, and then scored when Antonya Lucero (Albuquerque, NM/La Cueva High School) was hit by a pitch. Hannah Martinez (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad High School) kept the momentum going with a single up the middle, driving in two runs and making it 3-0 after one.
In the third inning, Marleigh Manns (Los Lunas, NM/Los Lunas High School) doubled and scored on an error, while Lauryn Carbajal (Tucson, AZ/Sunnyside High School) made it to third and came home on a sacrifice fly from Martinez, pushing the lead to 5-0. In the seventh, Aleeya Barwick (Mesa, AZ/Desert Ridge High School) pinch ran, stole second, and scored on a sac fly by Manns, capping off the scoring at 6-0.
Labraida Tenorio (Rio Rancho, NM/Rio Rancho High School) was a force on the mound, pitching a complete-game shutout over seven innings, allowing just five hits, striking out four, and walking none, with an impressive WHIP of 0.71. This win marked Tenorio's third of the season, bringing her record to 3-3 without giving up a run.
Hannah Martinez (Carlsbad, NM/Carlsbad High School) was a standout, driving in three runs, swiping a base, and contributing defensively with six assists. Marleigh Manns (Los Lunas, NM/Los Lunas High School) added two runs, a double, and a sac fly, while Lanessa Morales (Vail, AZ/Cienega High School) chipped in two hits and a run, keeping her OPS at a solid 1.000.
The Mustangs boast a 10-8 overall record and 6-2 in the LSC.
Up next, they'll take on West Texas A&M on Friday, March 6, at 3 p.m. at The Yard in Silver City, New Mexico.
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Western New Mexico University is a member of the NCAA Division II, and the Lone Star Conference (LSC). For additional information regarding Mustang Athletics, visit www.wnmumustangs.com; visit wnmu.edu for more information about Western New Mexico University. Follow the Mustangs on social media: @WNMUathletics (X, TikTok & Instagram).