THE RUNDOWN
LUBBOCK, Texas – Senior Misty Muniz matched the single-game RBI record, driving in seven in her first career multi-home run game to power Midwestern State to a 12-4 win over Southern Nazarene at the TAJ Hospitality College Softball Kickoff at Coronado High School.
 
Muniz matched Chelsey Wall's record set against Northeastern State on Feb. 16, 2014. The Seabrook native became the 41^st player in team history with a pair of dingers in the same game. The senior finished 3-for-4 with three runs, a double and two long balls.
 
Muniz made history in the top of the sixth. After hitting a grand slam in the first and a double in the second, the senior connected on a two-run blast to left, pushing the Mustangs ahead 12-4.
 
The Mustangs pounded out 12 hits as the Nos. 3-7 hitters of Lauren Lindgren, Carli Woolsey, Bailey Wamsley, Kelsey Eropkin and Muniz combined to go 10-for-19 with 10 runs.
 
Senior Abbie Lancaster (1-0) earned the win, tossing the final 3.0 frames while giving up two runs on three hits with two walks and three strikeouts.
 
The Mustangs wasted no time getting the offense going, striking for five runs in the top of the first. Senior Tucker Caraway led off the game with a three-base error before Lindgren drove home the season's first run on a groundout.
 
Woolsey, Wamsley and Eropkin went station-to-station with three-straight singles to left. With the bases juiced and two outs, Muniz jumped the yard on her eighth career homer to stake the Mustangs to a 5-0 lead.
 
Also getting the start in the circle, Muniz pitched her way out of trouble in the first, escaping a second and third jam with no outs before striking out back-to-back batters.
 
The Crimson Storm got two runs back in the bottom of the second. Skye Ah Yat worked a leadoff walk while Hailie Fellers and Jacey James loaded the bases on consecutive HBPs. Peyton Robinson poked a single through the left side of the infield before Mahina Sauer helped her cause with a sacrifice fly to center, moving the score to 5-2.
 
The Maroon and Gold answered with a four-spot in the top of the third. Wamsley belted a double to open the frame. Eropkin put runners on the corners after reaching on an error. Muniz followed with a double to left for her fifth RBI of the afternoon. Sophomore Caycee Griffin launched her fourth career long ball to extend the MSU Texas advantage to 9-3.
 
James stung Lancaster for a leadoff solo shot in the bottom of the fourth, pulling SNU within 9-3. Caitlyn Curlee plated Robinson on a two-out single to scratch across another run for the Crimson Storm, 9-4.
 
Following a leadoff jack by Lindgren, Woolsey worked a walk. Muniz stepped to the dish and clubbed her second bomb of the night to extend the MSU Texas lead to 12-4.
 
NOTES
- The Mustangs won their season opener for the ninth-time in program history and first time under Mark Ryal
- MSU Texas scored double digit runs in its first game of the season; last season the Mustangs went nine games without scoring 10 or more runs
- The Maroon and Gold launched four homers and three doubles, logging extra bases on seven of the team's 12 hits
- Midwestern State scored six runs with two outs
- Senior Misty Muniz matched Chelsey Wall for the single game RBI record with seven; Wall set the record against Northeastern State on Feb. 16, 2014
- The Seabrook native recorded her first career multi home run game, hitting her eighth and ninth career home runs
- Sophomore Caycee Griffin went 1-for-4, hitting her fourth career home run and driving home a pair
- Junior Lauren Lindgren added a 2-for-4 performance, with a home run and two RBI for her 13^th career jack
- Freshmen Bailey Wamsley (2-for-4, 2B, 2 R) and Daylan Inkman (1-for-3) collected their first collegiate hits
 
UP NEXT
Midwestern State is back in action on Saturday, Feb. 2 with a doubleheader against Oklahoma Christian and Western New Mexico at the TAJ Hospitality College Softball Kickoff. First pitch against the Eagles is set for 11 a.m.