MESA, Ariz. - Midwestern State completed a sweep of the GCU Invitational with wins over Western New Mexico and No. 16 Grand Canyon to improve its best start in school history to 6-0 Sunday afternoon at Quail Run.
The balanced 23rd-ranked Mustangs received home runs from six different players over the weekend including career first from
Courtney Bingham and
Carey Campbell as MSU claimed a 5-2 result over Western New Mexico and held off No. 16 Grand Canyon 7-6 Sunday afternoon.
Senior pitcher
Brittney Tanner claimed wins in each of the games to up her season mark to 4-0 as she permitted two runs on seven hits while striking out 12 batters in the win over WNMU.
The Burkburnett product then came on to pitch the final 3 2/3 inning to claim the decision against Grand Canyon as she allowed three earned on five hits with five strikeouts.
Tanner coupled with
Kristina Gutierrez, who was 2-0 at the invitational, to fan 58 opponents while walking just a single batter in 42 combined innings.
The offense didn't show much rust either as MSU racked up 38 runs on 54 hits over the six-game stretch which included four games against two opponents receiving mention in the National Fast-pitch Coaches' Association preseason poll.
The Mustangs rallied from a 2-0 deficit against WNMU as Bingham connected on her first career homer to right-center field fence in the bottom of the fourth and
Amanda Potysman delivered a run-scoring single to knot the game at 2-2.
Bingham put Midwestern ahead with an RBI single in the fifth and
Elena Bennett advanced plate ward on a courtesy of an error as the Mustangs led 4-2 before tacking on an insurance run in the sixth.
Midwestern jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the finale against the host Antelopes as
Kim Jerrick and
Mallory Mooney connected on run-scoring singles before Reynolds roped an-RBI double to key the early explosion.
GCU connected on two homers to close the gap to 5-3 after chasing Gutierrez, who allowed three runs on five hits with a pair of strikeouts in 3 1/3 innings, in the fourth inning.
But Campbell would provide the Mustangs just enough insurance by belting her first collegiate homer - a two-run shot - in the fifth inning as MSU held off a late three-run rally by the Antelopes to claim the victory.
Reynolds paced MSU's 11-hit attack by going 3-for-3 at the dish while
Nicki Duff, Bennett and Campbell all had two hits.
Midwestern State competes in the Texas A&M-Kingsville Invitational next weekend beginning with games against Southern Arkansas and TAMUK on Friday.
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-- MSUMustangs.com --