THE RUNDOWN
CANYON, Texas – Senior Misty Muniz kept the nation's second-best slugging offense to one extra-base hit in Midwestern State's series opener with No. 21 West Texas A&M. Unfortunately the offense was unable to back her strong start in a 3-1 loss at Schaeffer Park on Thursday.
 
Muniz held WT to a season-low four hits and three runs over 6.0 innings of work, but was saddled with the loss to drop to 3-3 on the season. The Seabrook native recorded her fourth-straight game with at least seven strikeouts.
 
Junior Lauren Lindgren extended her hitting streak to four games with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate. Sophomore Caycee Griffin drove home the lone run for the Maroon and Gold with an RBI double in the top of the fifth.
 
Muniz ran her scoreless inning streak to nine before WT scratched across a pair of two-out runs in the bottom of the fourth. Following back-to-back strikeouts, Shanna McBroom poked a seeing-eye single through the left-side of the infield before a walk to India Holland and HBP to Erica Vessels loaded the bases.
 
Alyx Cordell blooped a two-run single down the left field line to push across a pair of runs before being thrown out trying to advance to third to give WT a 2-0 lead.
 
MSU Texas cut the gap in half as freshman Ashley Turner extended her hitting streak to four games with a one-out single to short. Griffin launched a double into the left-center alley to score Turner from first.
 
The Lady Buffs tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth. Brittany Cruz was hit-by-pitch to open the inning before consecutive fielder's choice grounders erased a pair of baserunners.
 
Miranda Grotenhuis sent a pinch-hit double to left-center to plate Holland from first and expand the lead to 3-1.
 
The Mustangs were unable to manufacture offense in the top of the seventh as Kyra Lair retired the side in order.
 
Lair improved to 7-0 on the season, scattering five hits and a walk for one run while striking out five in the complete game effort.
 
McBroom led WT at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a run scored.
 
GAME NOTES
- Midwestern State suffered its 16^th-straight loss to West Texas A&M, dropping to 5-13 on the road against the Lady Buffs
- The Mustangs held the No. 2 offense in NCAA DII to one extra-base hit – a double
- MSU Texas kept WT to a season-low four hits and three runs
- Senior Misty Muniz ran her scoreless inning streak to nine before allowing her first run
- The Seabrook native struck out seven for the fourth-straight game
- Junior Lauren Lindgren extended her hitting streak to four games with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate
- Freshman Ashley Turner ran her hitting streak to four games with an infield single in the top of the fifth
 
UP NEXT
MSU Texas returns to the diamond on Fri., March 1 against West Texas A&M. First pitch in the doubleheader at Schaeffer Park is slated for 2 p.m. with the Lady Buffs.