SPEARFISH, S.D.—The Black Hills State University softball team entered today's two-game stand with Western New Mexico University riding a three-game losing streak. No better place to break that streak than your home field. The Yellow Jackets had a chance to break that cycle at their home field on Saturday afternoon, but they came up short against the Mustangs by scores of 7-4 and 18-7.
BHSU falls to 4-15, 3-11 RMAC while Western New Mexico University improves to 12-17, 9-9 RMAC.
Western New Mexico 7, Yellow Jackets 4
Steady pitching from Carlee Beck kept the Yellow Jackets in this game as things were tied 0-0 heading into the third inning.
Western New Mexico University found the scoreboard in the third inning when Davi Martin and Alicia Enriquez hit back-to-back singles. They both came around to score on back-to-back RBI singles from Linzy Granger and Mariangela Garcia to give the Mustangs a 2-0 lead.
Stephanie Higgins plated Linzy Granger on an RBI-groundout to extend the Yellow Jacket lead to 3-0. Kymbra Esponosa added another Mustang run in the fourth inning when she singled and came around to score on a Yellow Jacket error to make the score 4-0.
Alexis Shaffer gave BHSU a spark in the bottom of the fourth inning when she blasted a two-run home run to narrow the Mustang lead to 4-2. Reagan McCurn, who pinch ran for Erica Everson, also scored on the play.
BHSU closed the scoring in the fourth inning when Katie Campo walked and trotted home on Rebecca Green's single to narrow the deficit to 4-3.
The Mustangs added a run in the fifth inning when Stephanie Higgins laced a triple to left field and scored on a Thailyza Ramriez sacrifice fly to extend the Western New Mexico lead to 5-3.
Mariangela Garcia blasted a two-run home run in the seventh inning to make the score 7-3. The Yellow Jackets answered with one run in the bottom of the seventh when Everson walked and scored on Green's single to make the score 7-4.
Beck surrendered seven runs (three earned) on nine hits in six innings of work in the circle for BHSU. Green, Campo, and Shaffer (home run) each registered two hits to lead the Yellow Jackets at the plate.
Western New Mexico 18, Yellow Jackets 7
BHSU held a 5-3 lead through the first two innings of play, thanks to clutch RBI-hits from Green, Smith, and Everson. Unfortunately, that didn't last long as Western New Mexico tagged the Yellow Jackets for eight runs in the third inning.
After Ramirez came through with a two-run single to tie the game 5-5 in the third inning, Yellow Jacket head coach Lane Leedy signaled for the pitching change. However, that didn't stop the Mustangs as they added six more runs en route to an 11-5 lead.
After the Mustangs made the score 13-5 in the fourth inning, BHSU came through with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the inning when Everson hit a home run to narrow the score to 13-7.
Unfortunately, that was all the scoring BHSU was able to muster. The Mustangs added five runs in the final two innings to make the score 18-7.
Farrar, Witman, and Carrie Clarke all saw time in the circle for BHSU.
Everson went 3-for-3 to lead the Yellow Jackets offensively.
BHSU will return to action tomorrow, Sunday, Mar. 22 against Western New Mexico. Game times are set for 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.
