Marissa Salinas was brilliant Sunday, allowing just one run over nine innings of relief and picked up a pair of wins in a doubleheader against Midwestern State. The Falcons won the first game 5-3 and took the second in a pitcher's duel 3-1. The Falcons are now up to 12 wins on the season, eclipsing last year's mark of 10.
It was the Mustangs (2-18, 0-4) who struck first in the opening game of the day, scoring one in the first. After escaping a bases loaded jam in the top of the second, the Falcons (12-12, 2-2) got on the board with a two-run blast by
Choco Munoz. The Mustangs retook the lead on a two-run homer of their own in the third, but the Falcons answered right back.
Jessica Gonzales brought in
April Arellano on a single to right, scoring the run after forcing a rundown and advancing to second after the Mustangs threw home. She came around to score on
Lani Graft's single to put the Falcons back in front. The Falcons added an insurance run in the sixth when
Leslie Martinez reached on a fielder's choice, scoring
Nayeli Diaz.
Game two on the day quickly became a pitcher's duel, with neither team able to get going early.
Valerie Gonzalez got things going in the third, with a one-out single. She moved to second on a single by Arellano. Gonzales moved both runners into scoring position with a fly ball. Gonzalez used her speed to get the Falcons on the board, scoring just ahead of the tag after a wild pitch. The Falcons added a pair of insurance runs in the fifth. Gonzalez scored on a single by Arellano after it was misplayed by the center fielder, and it also allowed Arellano to move to third. Gonzales brought her in with a ground ball to give the Falcons a 3-0 cushion. The Mustangs broke the shutout with a solo home run in the sixth, but went down quietly in the seventh.
Salinas earned the win in both games, combining for 10 strikeouts over nine innings, allowing just one run. Arellano had a team-high three hits to raise her team-leading batting average to .422.
Sydney Bishop had a pair of hits in the first game. Munoz's home run was her second of the season.
The Falcons hit the road next week, as they'll take on Eastern New Mexico in a doubleheader on March 6, before facing West Texas A&M in a doubleheader on March 8.
