WICHITA FALLS, Texas — Midwestern State faced off against No. 1 West Texas A&M in a doubleheader at Mustangs Park on Sunday afternoon, falling in both contests with scores of 9–3 and 7–1.
In the first game, West Texas A&M capitalized on Midwestern State's three errors and powered through with two home runs to secure a 9–3 victory. Midwestern State took an early lead in the first inning when
Erikha Ibarra-Subia walked and advanced to score on a sacrifice bunt by
Hayeli Acosta, capitalizing on a throwing error, ending the inning with a 1-0 lead for the Mustangs.
West Texas A&M responded quickly in the second inning, as Cadence Colborn scored on a throwing error, and a pinch runner, Raegan Walter, scored on a passed ball, putting WT ahead 2-1. The Lady Buffs extended their lead in the third inning with Jordyn DeLosSantos hitting a home run, followed by runs from Cadence Colborn and Brooke Janning, making it 5-1.
The Mustangs narrowed the gap in the fifth inning when
Mia Sanchez singled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Acosta, with
Sydnie Rios adding a run on a wild pitch to close the score to 5-3. However, WT answered in the sixth with DeLosSantos scoring on a throwing error and Abby Howell hitting a two-run homer, extending the lead to 8-3. The game concluded with an unearned run in the seventh inning, finalizing the score at 9-3.
Tatum Waller recorded a triple and a hit, contributing one hit and one walk in three plate appearances. Ibarra-Subia posted two hits in four plate appearances, scoring one run and stealing a base. Sanchez collected two hits from three at-bats, adding a run to her team's tally. Acosta drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and reached base on a walk.
Isabela Cornell pitched 2 1/3 innings, allowing five hits and five runs (three earned), while
Kaylin Salazar came on in relief, giving up five hits and four runs (three earned).
In the second game, Midwestern State (4–24, 2–18) managed three hits, including a double, but fell to West Texas A&M (29–3, 19–1) 7–1, with the Lady Buffs capitalizing on a six-run fourth inning to secure the win. West Texas A&M took an early lead in the second inning when Cadence Colborn scored on a double by Brooke Janning, ending the inning with the Lady Buffs leading 1–0.
The Mustangs got on the board in the fourth inning as
Paige Scanlin doubled to right center.
Hayeli Acosta reached on a fielder's choice, advancing Scanlin, and
Tatum Waller hit a sacrifice fly to score Scanlin. However, in the top half of the fourth, WT exploded for six runs, including a two-run double by Jordyn DeLosSantos and an RBI single by Abby Howell, extending their lead to 7–1. The fifth, sixth, and seventh innings saw no change in the score, concluding the game with a 7–1 victory for WT.
Stormy Daniel contributed defensively with four assists in the infield. Scanlin provided a spark off the bench by scoring a run and hitting a double, while
Chipper Mayorga added a single in three plate appearances. Waller brought in a run with a sacrifice fly.
Kayleigh Bowers started on the mound for the Mustangs, pitching 3 1/3 innings and allowing six earned runs on five hits, while
Isabela Cornell came in as relief, throwing 3 2/3 innings and giving up one earned run.
Looking ahead, the Mustangs will face Southern Arkansas on Wednesday, March 25, at 3 p.m. in Paris, Texas.
-- MSUMustangs.com --
