Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 WICHITA FALLS (February 15) – The TAMIU softball team opened the Holiday Inn at the Falls Invitational with a 4-2 win over Eastern New Mexico University before dropping back to back games to East Central University 9-0 and Midwestern University 14-7.
 
Sophomore pitcher Sarah Johnson bent but never broke in the Dustdevils’ tournament opener, allowing two runs on seven hits with two strikeouts and a walk in a complete game effort.  Pinch hitter Cassie Garcia delivered the go ahead RBI in the fifth in her only at bat of the game.  Kristen LaBuhn finished with three hits and a run scored to lead TAMIU.
 
After making her way through two innings relatively unscathed, Johnson got into some trouble in the third.  After walking the leadoff hitter, Johnson allowed back-to-back singles to load up the bases.  After a pop fly gave the Zias their first out of the inning, Elizabeth Vasquez singled to give ENMU a 1-0 lead before a sac fly from Erica Armendarez made it 2-0.
 
The Dustdevils picked up a run in the third off an RBI single from Mariena Gallardo and then broke the game open scoring three in the fifth.  Kristen LaBuhn led off with a single before advancing to second on a sac bunt by Marisa Castillo.  Three straight walks evened the game at two and then pinch hitter Cassie Garcia put TAMIU up for good with a two-RBI single up the middle. 
 
Johnson was in control the rest of the way retiring the next six straight batters and 12 of 14 over the final four innings.
 
East Central University jumped all over game two starter Kyndall Reaves scoring all nine of their runs over the first two innings in a game ended by the mercy rule in the fifth inning.  Mariena Gallardo delivered a solid performance in relief, retiring six of the seven ECU batters she faced.  The sophomore shut the Tigers out in her two innings of work allowing only one hit with three strikeouts.
 
The Tigers totaled 12 hits with each batter in the lineup recording at least one hit.  Ali Manship and Lacey Paulk combined for the shutout for ECU allowing only four hits with five strikeouts and one walk.
 
Lauren Bancroft got the tigers going in the first with a single up the middle and was advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore Chelsea Patterson.  Manship added a single to move Bancroft to third and she scored when sophomore Lacey Williams doubled to right center.  Peyton Watson added a second double to center to score two more runs. The final two runs were scored when Kayci Snider hit a home run to center field.
 
TAMIU had their best opportunity to get on the board in the second.  Gallardo and Cassie Deleon each delivered singles before Emily Smith drew a walk to load up the bases.  Olivia Garcia made solid contact but lined one right at the pitcher to end the threat.
 
ECU added four runs in the second inning to go up 9-0. Patterson, Manship and Mengwasser all singled to load the bases. Rochelle Nash then recorded a throwing error that advanced all runners and allowed Patterson to score. Watson added a run when she reached on an error by Garcia in right field and Snider’s single plated the final two runs of the inning.
 
In the final game of the day Midwestern State blasted three home runs including a grand slam in the fourth to double up the Dustdevils 14-7.  Salina Mitchell struggled in the circle for TAMIU giving up 11 hits and six walks while failing to register a strikeout.
 
Marisa Castillo tallied three hits, an RBI, and a run scored to lead the Dustdevils at the plate.
 
The Mustangs picked up three runs in the second off a three-run bomb by Kim Jerrick, before Christina Roosmalen added a three-run shot of her own to key a six-run third to put TAMIU in a 9-0 hole. 
 
TAMIU finally got their offensive going scoring four runs in the fourth.  LaBuhn reached on an error by the shortstop before moving to second after Gallardo drew a walk.  After both runners advanced a base on a wild pitch, Castillo plated LaBuhn from third on a single up the middle.  After Cassie Deleon was hit by a pitch to load up the bases, Desi Ramos delivered a two-RBI double to right center for TAMIU’s third run of the inning.  Pinch runner Salina Mitchell came across on a wild pitch for the Dustdevils’ final run of the inning.
 
Carey Campbell gave the momentum right back to MSU in the bottom half, belting her first career grand slam over the center field fence to give the Mustangs a 13-4 lead.
 
TAMIU picked up two runs in the fifth, but the Mustangs added a final run in the bottom half to end the game.
 
The Dustdevils return to action Saturday afternoon for day two of tournament play with a rematch against Eastern New Mexico at 5 p.m. before taking on Arkansas Tech at 7.  TAMIU will close the tournament on Sunday with a rematch against East Central University at 11 a.m.