Hobbs, NM - The Lady Mustangs Softball team kicked off their 2019 season last Friday against Oklahoma Panhandle State University. OPSU traveled from Goodwell, Oklahoma to take on the Lady Mustangs in a 4-game series. The series didn't go in the Lady Mustangs favor as the Aggies took the series 4-0.
GAME 1
In the first game, getting the start on the mound for the Lady Mustangs was Senior southpaw
Gabby Heckmann. The Cannon Falls, Minnesota native returns after an impressive Junior year where she posted a 2.54 ERA in 71.2 innings pitched. The top of the first was a rocky start for the Lady Mustangs as OPSU scored 2 runs on 1 hit. Both offenses showed little life until the 4th inning when the Lady Mustangs exploded for 4 runs in the bottom half.
Senior
Madylin Matthys led off with a single to left field followed by an RBI double from fellow Senior
Chelsea Carroll. Junior
Cecilia Bustamante and Heckmann each followed with back-to-back singles with Heckmann getting an RBI. The Lady Mustangs would score a 4th run on an error later in the inning to go up 4-2 against the Aggies.
The Aggies bats then heated up in the 5th as they scored 6 runs on 5 hits. That would end up being all that was needed as the Lady Mustangs bats went quiet the rest of the game and would go on to lose 8-4.
GAME 2
After a tough first game the Lady Mustangs looked to bounce back in Game 2. Freshman
Larissa Madrid from Las Cruces, NM got the start for the Lady Mustangs. Madrid made easy work in the 1st inning as she sat the Aggies down in order. The bats were pretty quiet on both sides all game as it was a 1-1 ballgame until the 7th inning.
The Aggies picked up on Madrid in the top half of the 7th as they exploded for 5 runs on 6 hits. The Lady Mustangs went down in order in the bottom half to lose 6-1.
GAME 3
Gabby Heckmann got the start on Saturday for Game 3. Heckmann went 4 innings after pitching a complete game the day before. Trailing 4-2,
Larissa Madrid came in as a relief to finish out the game as the Lady Mustangs lost 7-4.
The Lady Mustangs had a few highlights from the Seniors of their lineup.
Madylin Matthys went 1-3 with a triple and 2 runs scored.
Chelsea Carroll went 1-4 with and RBI and 1 run scored.
Gabby Heckmann went 2-4 with 2 RBIs.
GAME 4
In the series finale,
Larissa Madrid got the start for the Lady Mustangs tossing 4.2 innings before Heckmann came in as a relief. It was the Lady Mustangs most productive offensive game of the series as they railed off 8 hits, but they failed to capitalize with runners in scoring position. This would come back to haunt them as they dropped game 4 by a score of 7-2.
The bright spots in the offense came from the top of the line-up as
Kenzie Savell and
Sarena Maynez both went 2-4 in the game.
The Lady Mustangs are back in action this Saturday, February 9th for a non-conference double header against Sul Ross State University. First game will begin at 1 PM Mountain Time.
