CLAREMORE, Okla. – Midwestern State has another busy weekend as it plays four games against three different schools at the Rogers State Festival. The Mustangs see their first action on Saturday at 4 p.m. against Southern Nazarene before facing Southwestern Oklahoma State at 6 p.m. MSU returns to the RCB Bank Sports Complex on Sunday for a 2 p.m. against Rogers State and closes out the festivities with a rematch against Southwestern Oklahoma State at 4 p.m. 

Midwestern State is 1-3 to start the season after playing in the Lone Star D2 College Classic in Mansfield last week. The Mustangs played three one-run games, dropping a pair of 2-1 decisions to Central Missouri and Drury, which edged MSU in a low-scoring eight-inning affair. The Mustangs rallied for a thrilling 10-9 triumph over Rockhurst on opening day, but No. 9-ranked Augustana defeated Midwestern State in the penultimate game on Sunday, 8-4.

Freshman second baseman Chipper Mayorga is 6 for 12 with a double and six RBIs to begin her collegiate career at Midwestern State. Mayorga had at least one hit in all four games, and she also stole three bases on three attempts.

Midwestern State was 9 for 9 on stolen base attempts during the Lone Star D2 College Classic. Erikha Ibarra-Subia and Stormy Daniel each stole two bases, and Sydnie Rios had a stolen base. 

Paige Scanlin, a junior left fielder, showed off her power in Mansfield last week with two home runs, including a 3-run blast in a six-run sixth inning against Rockhurst that propelled the Mustangs to a come-from-behind victory after trailing 6-0 through the first two innings.

Ibarra-Subia, Hayeli Acosta, Sydnie Rios and Scanlin all had three hits last weekend. Acosta, who was 2 for 2 against Rockhurst, scored five runs in the four games for MSU. Ibarra-Subia was 3 for 3 with a double and an RBI in the win over the Hawks. Rios had two hits against Augustana and delivered a game-tying RBI single in the seventh inning against Drury.

Junior pitcher Kayleigh Bowers threw two complete games last weekend, including an eight-inning outing against Drury, recording nine strikeouts in 14 innings while only issuing three walks. Bowers only allowed three earned runs and has a 1.50 ERA to start the season.
 

SOUTHERN NAZARENE (1-3)

The Crimson Storm also played in the Lone Star D2 College Classic and earned a 6-5 victory over Washburn but lost to Central Missouri, 5-1, and was shut out by No. 24-ranked Missouri Southern, 3-0. Southern Nazarene opened the event with a 4-2 loss to MSU-Denver.

Sophomore Eden Anderson was 6 for 12 with six singles and an RBI, recording two hits in each of the first three games. Freshman Presley Brott was 4 for 11 and had at least one hit in three games for the Crimson Storm.

Ciena Perez and Kristen Mullendore each hit home runs last weekend. Mullendore hit a two-run homer in a six-run seventh inning as Southern Nazarene rallied from a 5-0 deficit to earn the victory.

Baylee Sales (0-1) pitched 9 1/3 innings in two appearances last weekend and allowed five earned runs on six hits with seven strikeouts, and she walked five batters.

Midwestern State is 3-0 all-time against Southern Nazarene with all three meetings at a neutral site. The Mustangs won the last encounter, 12-4, at the TAJ Hospitality College Softball Kickoff in Lubbock as Misty Muniz matched the single-game RBI record, driving in seven runs for the Mustangs.
 

SOUTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA STATE (0-5)

The Bulldogs opened their season in Los Lunas, New Mexico, and lost five straight games to Lone Star Conference opponents at the South Central Regional Tournament. Sul Ross State defeated SWOSU in the opener, 5-2, and UT Permian Basin shut out the Bulldogs, 4-0. Western New Mexico outslugged SWOSU, 9-8, and won the game on a walk-off three-run homer in the seventh inning. No. 8-ranked West Texas A&M won its first meeting with the Bulldogs, 15-1, and posted an 8-0 victory in the finale.

Senior Riley Lusk had at least one hit in all five games and is 7 for 14 to start the season. Landry Bayless is hitting .364 and was 2 for 3 in the second game against West Texas A&M.

Blaire Gentry (0-1, 2.03) made three appearances in the circle last weekend, allowing three earned runs over 10 1/3 innings. The senior struck out three, walked two and allowed 10 hits.  Alexis Taylor  (0-1, 5.73) pitched 11 innings last week and recorded 12 strikeouts, but eight of the 21 hits she allowed were extra-base-hits, including three home runs.

Midwestern State is 31-9 in the all-time series with SWOSU and split a doubleheader with the Bulldogs at Mustangs Park last year. Southwestern Oklahoma State took the opener, 4-1, before the Mustangs rallied to take the nightcap by a score of 5-2.
 

ROGERS STATE (3-2)

The Hillcats closed out the Gulf Shores Invitational with back-to-back wins, defeating Union University, 2-0, and beating Spring Hill, 8-5. Rogers State opened the season with a 5-1 loss to Montevallo but rebounded with a 6-2 victory over Valdosta State. Florida Tech edged the Hillcats, 3-2.

Raylin Morgan is 7 for 13 with three doubles, and Baylee King is 7 for 18 with an RBI and four runs scored. Mariah Belzer and Jaden Jordan each have five hits, and Jordan has four RBIs, while Belzer has two RBIs. Saylor Brown is one of three players with four hits and has three RBIs. Rylee Bush is 4 for 13 with three runs scored. Karlee Smith has five RBIs with four singles.

Harley Culie (1-2, 2.88) started three games and threw two complete games, allowing 11 hits over 17 innings and recording 22 strikeouts.  Kinsley Hill (1-0, 2.00) made two starts and worked seven innings, allowing two runs on four hits. Erica Ross (1-0, 0.88) had three appearances in relief, allowing one earned run on six hits with eight strikeouts over eight innings in the circle for the Hillcats.

Midwestern State is 4-2 all-time against Rogers State and lost the last meeting in the 2024 D2 First Pitch Invitational in Conroe, Texas, as the Hillcats prevailed in nine innings, 2-1. This will be the fifth straight meeting at a neutral site, and the Mustangs are 2-2 in the four previous encounters.

Midwestern State begins a six-game homestand with a doubleheader against Lubbock Christian at Mustangs Park on Feb. 15. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.