The NMHU Cowgirls softball team finished competing in the 2nd Annual Desert Stinger Softball Tournament in Las Vegas, Nev. this weekend 2/11-13. The Cowgirls, led by Head Coach Shellie Broyles, came away with one victory from their five games in the tournament against some tough NCAA Division II opponents. The Cowgirls' lone win came on 2/12 in their first game against Upper Iowa University 14-8. After the tournament the Cowgirls' record for the start of the 2011 season is 1-4.
The Cowgirls lost a close first game of the tournament on 2/11 to Northwest Nazarene University 3-2. The Cowgirls would finish the game hitting .250 as a team. Kelsey Groff and
Melissa Martinez were the top batters in the game for the team. Groff went 2-3 at the plate with a double, one RBI and one run scored. Martinez hit 2-2 in the game with an RBI and drawing a walk.
Melissa Martinez (0-1) was the starting pitcher in the game for the Cowgirls throwing six innings. She allowed two runs on seven hits and two homeruns while striking out five batters in her first loss of the season.
Ashley Paiz came in to relieve Martinez, pitching one inning and allowed one run on two hits in the game.
In the next game of the day the Cowgirls were outmatched by University of Mary and lost 19-1 in five innings. The Cowgirls only managed one run on one hit in 18 at bats against the Marauders. Tanya Groff was the lone hitter for the Cowgirls in the game going 1-2 at the plate. She smashed a homerun to score and earn the RBI.
Kelsey Groff (0-1) started the game from the pitcher's circle for the Cowgirls but was only able to complete two-thirds of an inning earning her first loss of the season. She allowed nine runs on five hits and three walks with one strikeout before being relieved by
Ashley Paiz. Paiz finished the game pitching four and a third innings in relief allowing 10 runs on 14 hits and six walks with one strikeout.
The Cowgirls lone win came on day two of the tournament 2/12 in their first game against Upper Iowa University 14-8. The bats finally came alive for the Cowgirls as they managed 12 hits in 36 at bats to hit .333 for the game as a team.
Alisha Perry,
Roxanne Avalos and
Kristy Partridge had the hot bats for the Cowgirls in the game. Perry finished the game 2-4 with three RBI's, one double, a homerun, scoring twice and drawing a walk. Avalos went 2-2 in the game after she came in to the fourth inning to catch. She had three RBI's and scored once with a homerun in her three innings of play. Partridge was 3-5 at the plate with three RBI's, two double, a triple and scored twice for the Cowgirls.
Ashley Paiz started her first game of the season for the Cowgirls pitching for two thirds of an inning. She allowed two runs on one hit with two walks and one strikeout before being relieved in the first inning having pitched in all three contests.
Melissa Martinez (1-1) finished the inning and the game reaching her top form in the new season throwing for six and a third innings. Martinez struck out 11 batters allowing six runs on six hits and four walks to earn the win for the Cowgirls.
In the second game of the day the Cowgirls lost to Minot State University 15-0 in five innings. The Cowgirls were unable to come up with an answer for Minot State's tough pitching drawing just one base runner from a lone walk and no hits.
Melissa Martinez (1-2) earned her second loss of the season. Martinez pitched for one third of an inning allowing seven runs on six hits.
Ashley Paiz pitched in her fourth consecutive game of the tournament in relief of Martinez. Paiz recorded one strikeout allowing eight runs on three hits and 12 walks while striking out one batter in her two and two thirds innings in the pitcher's circle.
Shelby Hoffman made her first appearance in the pitcher's circle for the Cowgirls in relief of Paiz. Hoffman had a respectable performance in her one complete inning facing three batters and allowing none to reach base with one strikeout.
In the final game of the tournament on 2/13 the Cowgirls lost to Academy of Art University 10-4. The Cowgirls continued to struggle at the plate hitting .185 as a team in the game scoring four runs on five hits in 27 at bats. The Cowgirls managed some offense from the bats of
Alisha Perry,
Alysha Alvarez, and
Roxanne Avalos. Perry drove in the team's four runs when she smashed a grand slam in the second inning and finishing the game 2-4 from the plate to lead the Cowgirls' efforts in the game. Alvarez went 2-3 from the batter's box in the game including her single in the second inning to load the bases for Perry's bases emptying grand slam. Avalos was 1-2 from the plate and also scored in the grand slam by
Alisha Perry.
Melissa Martinez (1-3) started once again for the Cowgirls completing all seven innings from the pitcher's circle. She allowed all 10 runs on 13 hits and seven walks with eight strikeouts earning her third loss of the season in the complete game performance. Martinez would finish the tournament striking out an impressive 24 batters and earning the Cowgirls' lone win from the pitcher's circle.
The Cowgirls will be in action on the road again on 2/16 in a non-conference double header against Oklahoma Panhandle State University in Goodwell, Okla. Start time for the first game of the double header is set for 1pm.
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HERE for NMHU vs. Northwest Nazarene Complete Stats
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HERE for NMHU vs. Univ. of Mary Complete Stats
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HERE for NMHU vs. Upper Iowa Complete Stats
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HERE for NMHU vs. Minot State Complete Stats
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HERE for NMHU vs. Academy of Art Complete Stats
GO COWGIRLS!!!
