SILVER CITY, New Mexico (March 4, 2022) – On a sunny day in New Mexico, the Texas Woman's University softball team's bats were hot, as they combined for four home runs in two wins against Western New Mexico to open Lone Star Conference play.
 
TWU (7-6, 2-0 Lone Star Conference) won the first game 6-3 and the second game 14-5 against WNMU (3-12).
 
"What a great way to open up conference play," TWU head coach Amber Barker said. "It was great to see our offensive production, as well as how we showed up on defense. We're looking to carry this momentum over to Sunday as we close out our first conference road trip of the season."
 
The scoring started early for TWU, setting the tone high. In the first inning of the first game, the Pioneers scored three runs. Jalee McDonald got the ball rolling for TWU with a single to left field, which allowed Nya Brown, who stole second and third, to score. Then, with two outs on the board, Missy Wise stepped up to the plate and crushed a two-run homer to give the Pioneers an early 3-1 lead, after the first.
 
Feeling the home run energy, Da'Jia Davis blasted one over the left field fence to hit her first home run of the season, giving the Pioneers a 4-1 lead in the top of the third inning. Then, WNMU cut the TWU led to two with one run in the bottom of the third.
 
The Pioneers added two more runs in the top of the fourth inning, with Rylee Lara and Brown crossing home.
 
WNMU scored one more run, but it was not enough – the Pioneers won game one 6-3.
 
Jules Malis (3-4) started the game and sealed her third win of the season. Malis pitched all seven innings and only allowed six hits, while striking out two batters.
 
On the offensive attack, the Pioneers recorded nine hits—McDonald lead TWU with three hits.
 
The 30-minute break between games did not cool off the Pioneers hot streak, rather it ignited the flame. In the second game, TWU came out swinging, literally. They scored runs in six of the seven innings. There largest scoring inning was the third, when they exploded for five runs.
 
The first TWU home run of the second game happened in the second inning. Kelsie Briggs hit her first career home run to give the Pioneers the early 2-0 lead.
 
In the five run, third inning Davis hit a double, Wise hit a triple and Cecily Rodriguez hit a single to give the Pioneers the 7-2 lead at the bottom of the third inning.
 
The final home run of the day was gifted by Leah Deaver, who hit her first career home run. A single from Rodriguez lead to Davis and Lara scoring to put the Pioneers ahead 10-3.
 
In the sixth and seventh inning, TWU scored a combined four runs to seal the 14-5 win and to open LSC action undefeated.
 
Kelsie Briggs (3-1) recorded the win for the Pioneers. She struck out one batter and allowed three runs in four innings. McDonald pitched the final three innings, striking out a season high three batters
 
The Pioneers will travel to University of Texas – Permian Basin to continue their road LSC weekend slate. They will play a double header against UTPB at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 6.