Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 | Box Score 4 The USW Baseball Program hosted their 2^nd conference series of the season as they took on the Texas College Steers. The Steers won the conference series 2-1 and the Mustangs won the 4^th game which was a non-conference bout. Splitting the series 2-2 brings the Mustangs record to 16-13 overall with a 2-7 record in conference. 
 
Saturday's doubleheader was Law Enforcement Appreciation Day as the Mustangs hosted Hobbs P.D. and all members of Law Enforcement. Hobbs Police Deputy Chief Brian Dunlap was honored and threw out the 1^st pitch of the game. Dunlap is a former College of the Southwest baseball player who competed during the 1994-1995 season before transferring to NMSU to earn his degree. Officer Reanna Molinaro was also on hand to sing the national anthem. Dunlap and Molinaro were also joined by Captain Clipper Miller of the Hobbs P.D.
 
  
Day 1---Friday March 15---7 inning & 9 inning
 
Game 1
Texas College 3---USW 2
 
The Mustang offense, or lack thereof, picked up right where they left off from last weekend's series against Jarvis. The Mustangs were only able to score 2 runs despite leaving 11 runners on base. Driving in runs especially with 2 outs has been the Achilles heel of this Mustang offense all season. The Mustangs scratched 8 hits on the day with PJ Sanchez and Othon Delacruz responsible for 5 of those hits. Sanchez was 3-4 on the day with a triple and run scored. The 3 hits tie a career-high for Sanchez in a game during his 4-year career here at USW. Delacruz was 2-4 on the day with an RBI. The Mustangs missed out on several opportunities throughout the game from lack of execution or missing signs. 
 
Redshirt Senior Alex Goodman took the start in Game 1 for his first conference start of the season. The Gilbert, AZ native went the distance allowing 3 runs on 7 hits and 2 hit batters. Goodman was able to work his way out of several jams throughout the game despite allowing the leadoff hitter on in 5 innings. 
 
 
Game 2
Texas College 6---USW 2
 
The offensive woes continued for the Mustangs despite another great performance from their starting pitching. JJ Kruzel was moved to Game 2 (9-inning contest) of the series to utilize his ability to go deep into games. The sophomore went 7 innings allowing 3 earned runs on 5 hits and 2 walks. Kruzel struck out 7 batters and only allowed 1 extra-base hit in the game. 
 
There were not many bright spots for the Mustang hitters. USW had only 4 hits in the 9-inning contest with 2 of those being doubles from Dom Baca and Gabe Valdez. 

Day 2---March 16^th---9 inning & 7 inning
 
 
Game 3
USW 9---Texas College 3
 
Although USW scored 9 runs to snap their 6-game losing streak, the star of the day was starting pitcher Marvin Galarza. The redshirt Senior broke his career-high for strikeouts which he set 2 weeks ago against LSU-S. Galarza struck out 13 batters over 8 innings of work and allowed only 2 runs. His performance is exactly what the Mustangs needed to break out of their funk.
 
The Mustang offense was saving all of their runs for this game. The 9-runs is more than they had scored their last 6 games COMBINED. The Mustangs were led by 2 multi-hit performances from Dom Baca and PJ Sanchez. Baca was 3-5 on the day with 2 runs scored, an RBI and a 2B. Sanchez was 2-4 with a run scored and a career-high 3 RBI's. The Mustangs had 11 hits on the day with all but 2 starters recording a hit. Matthew Castillo made his Mustang debut at the plate after Senior Ben Tingen was hit by a pitch and left the game. Castillo made the most of his opportunity as he drew a walk in his 1^st at-bat and had an infield single in his 2^ndat-bat. 
 
 
Game 4
USW 3---Texas College 2
 
The Mustangs used some late-game magic to secure the Game 4 victory which came on unusual walk-off fashion. John Magruder came in to pinch hit for Tariq Levesque in the bottom of the 7^th inning with the bases loaded. The Junior from Greeley, CO took a 1-0 fastball to the bottom part of the tricep to drive home the winning run on a hit by pitch. 
 
The top of the order for the Mustangs proved to be their only offensive output during Game 4. Brian Rodriguez (leadoff), EJ Rendon (3-hole) & Othon Delacruz (4-hole) were the only Mustangs with hits on the day as EJ Rendon was 2-4 with 2 doubles and a run scored. 
 
Axel Arrieta got the shortened start for the Mustangs as he closed out the Game 3 victory. Arrieta went 3 innings allowing 2 runs on 4 hits and 4 strikeouts. Ignacio Elizalde came in for relief following Arrieta and went 4 innings allowing only 1 hit and striking out 5 Steers batters along the way. Ignacio earned the win to improve his record to 3-1 out of the bullpen and lowered his ERA to 1.37. 
 
 
SERIES NOTES

• Matthew Castillo made his debut for the Mustangs at the plate in Game 3 and went 1-1 with a walk, single and RBI
• PJ Sanchez had a career weekend as he tied a career-high for hits in a game and set a new career high for RBI's in a game with 3 hits in Game 1 and 3 RBI in Game 3. 
• Marvin Galarza set a career-high for strikeouts with 13. Galarza's previous career-high came on 3/2/19 as he struck out 11 LSU-S batters in a CG effort. 
• Alex Goodman received a pinch-hit opportunity in Game 2 and grounded out to 2^nd base. 
• Freshman Brent Thompson made his 1^stconference start at shortstop in Game 1.