LOS LUNAS, NM. - SWOSU Softball nearly took down Western New Mexico in its first game of the day before a walk-off home run derailed plans for an inaugural win in 2026. The evening game then featured a No. 8-ranked West Texas squad that overpowered SWOSU.
The Bulldogs will close out the South Central Regional Tournament tomorrow with another matchup against West Texas at 11 a.m.
Game One
WNMU 9, SWOSU 8
The Bulldogs held the lead for nearly the entire game before late heroics from Western New Mexico with no outs to spare spoiled what looked like to be the first win in 2026.
SWOSU jumped out to a quick lead in the second, as doubles from
Kennedi Caine and
Josie Oakley brought in runs to take a 2-0 advantage in the top of the inning. The Mustangs responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the frame before SWOSU added two more in the top of the third on a
Skyla McPhillips double and an Oakley walk with the bases loaded.
WNMU found a rhythm in the bottom of the third, rattling off four runs to take a 5-4 lead going into the fourth. SWOSU responded with three runs of its own, as Caine singled to bring in both
Taylor McMahon and
Skyla McPhillips to reclaim a 7-5 advantage heading into the fifth. In the fifth and sixth innings, the teams traded runs, with the Dawgs holding an 8-6 lead going into the final frame.
After SWOSU was unable to add a run in the top of the seventh, WNMU had a chance to tie or win the game with three outs to work with. The Dawgs recorded two outs among the first three batters, with one reaching on an error. After a single, the winning run came to the plate and delivered a three-run walk-off home run, stunning the Bulldogs as they were one out away from closing out the afternoon.
McPhillips led the way with three hits and two RBIs for the Bulldogs, while Caine added two hits and three RBIs. Oakley also drove in two runs.
Lily Barfield started the game, pitching 2.0 innings and allowing three runs on two hits with three strikeouts.
Blaire Gentry (0-1, L) entered in relief and faced 24 batters, allowing eight hits and six runs, five earned, while striking out two.
Game Two
West Texas 15, SWOSU 1 (5 inn.)
After the first inning ended 1-0 in favor of the Lady Buffs, the second frame turned into an avalanche on the scoreboard, as the No. 8 team in the country proved its ranking by putting nine runs on the board en route to a 15-1 dominant win.
SWOSU was the first team to score on this defensive unit this season, as
Skyla McPhillips reached base in the fourth inning via an error. Following a single by
Riley Lusk and two pop flies, McPhillips was able to step on home plate for the Bulldogs' only run of the game.
West Texas finished with 14 hits, while SWOSU managed just four.
Jaycee McKee (0-2, L) threw the first 1.1 innings, allowing seven runs on nine hits through 13 batters faced.
The Lady Buffs in their four games this season have outscored their opponents 40-1, and have had run rule wins in three of their four games.
