TUCSON, AZ – The University of Mary softball team split a pair of nail biters on the opening day of the Cactus Classic. The Marauders used a 2-run home run from Taylor Mendez and clutch pitching from Taylor Lara and Madison Jahner to end the day with a 3-2 victory over Lubbock Christian University, the first win of the season for the squad. Mary opened the tournament with a heartbreaking 11-8 loss to 2^nd ranked West Texas A&M on a walk-off 3-run home run by the Lady Buffs.
 
GAME 1: A high-scoring affair that featured long stretches of strong pitching and fielding for the Marauders, Mary couldn't find a way to protect a 5-run lead against #2 west Texas A&M.
 
Mary scored twice in the top of the first. After a one-out single by Rebekkah Keller, the freshman centerfielder scored on a double to left by Mendez. The Marauders senior soon came home on a Colleen Crutchfield single to left.
 
Using a defensive miscue by the Marauders, the Lady Buffs responded with three unearned runs in the bottom of the first to grab a 3-2 lead.
 
Behind solid defense and a clutch performance in the circle for Mary by Brieann Backes, the Marauders kept West Texas A&M off the board the next four innings.
 
While holding down the Buffalos attack, the Marauders offense took advantage and scored six straight runs. A Crutchfield groundout scored Keller to knot the game 3-3 in the third. A pair of singles and a walk produced a pair of runs in the fifth to give Mary a 5-3 lead. An Alto sacrifice fly brought home Mendez before Hannah Holtz grounded out to third to score pinch runner Hannah Pesek.
 
Mary exploded for three more in the sixth. A WTAM error scored the first run of the inning for Mary, Mendez hit a run-scoring single and a Crutchfield grounder to second brought home Keller to provide Mary an 8-3 lead.
 
West Texas found its footing in the bottom of the sixth as Ashley Hardin cracked a 2-run home run and Kylee Moore followed shortly with a 3-run shot to tie the game 8-8.
 
After Holtz led off the seventh with a single but was unable to score, the game ended quickly in the bottom of the inning. With one out and two on, Shea Ibrahim cracked a three-run walk-off game-winning homer to left.
 
Mendez finished the game 4-for-4 with two runs scored, two runs batted in and a double. Crutchfield was 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Holtz, Lex Hubbard and Gamboa also rocked a pair of hits each. Keller scored three times.
 
Maddie Green had four hits for WTAM. Ibrahim and Moore both drove in three runs.
 
West Texas (12-0 record) had a slight 15-14 edge in hits. Mary struck out just twice and committed a season-low two errors.
 
GAME 2: Still searching for their first win and coming off what could have been a devastating loss, the Marauders quickly rebounded to play their best game of the year in a 3-2 win over Lubbock Christian.
 
Following leadoff singles from Madison McGonigal and Keller, Gamboa hit a one-out single to right. A throwing error by the LCU right fielder allowed McGonigal to scored and Mary led 1-0.
 
Using a pair of hits and a walk to load the bases, Lubbock Christian scored twice in the second on a ground out and an infield single to claim a 2-1 lead. Taylor Lara soon settled back down and began stringing together more shutout innings.
 
Mendez, the Marauders career home run leader of the school's NCAA era, hit her biggest blast of the season in the fifth inning. Following a two-out single to center from Keller, Mendez cracked her 41^st career home run to give Mary a 3-2 lead.
 
Now protecting a lead, Lara worked around a one-out double in the fifth to preserve the Mary lead. In the sixth, Hannah Holtz threw out the LCU leadoff hitter at second base for the first out of the inning after the batter attempted to turn a bloop single between Holtz and Marauders shortstop Kylie Alto into a double. Following a two-out single and a steal of second, freshman Madison Jahner was summoned to pitch. The Dickinson, ND, native walked the first hitter she faced before striking out the next batter swinging.
 
Unable to score McGonigal after she hit a one-out double in the top of the seventh, Jahner came back to the circle to protect Mary's one-run lead. In quick order, the first two LCU hitters flew out to Keegan Wickman in right field. Jahner finished the game with a strikeout to gain her first collegiate save.
 
Keller led the Marauders offense with three hits in four at bats, scoring once. McGongal and Gamboa both had two hits.
 
Lara went 5.2 innings for the win, allowing just two runs on nine hits and a walk while striking out two. Jahner pitched 1.1 scoreless and hitless innings, walking one and striking out two.
 
Both teams posted nine hits. For the first time this season the Marauders didn't commit an error.
 
The Marauders improve to 1-6 on the season. Lubbock Christian slipped to 12-2.
 
Mary next faces Dixie State and Lincoln Memorial on Saturday, Feb. 18.
 
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