YUMA, Ariz. – The Arizona Western Lady Matadors Softball team (1-11) dropped a pair of games on the final day of the Chapman Automotive Great Western Shootout, losing to Southern Idaho 10-8 before falling to Utah State-Eastern, 9-8.

Southern Idaho used a big eight-run inning to come from behind and beat the Lady Matadors 10-8 late Saturday morning.

Arizona Western grabbed the lead first, scoring a run in the second inning thanks to a Desiree Moran double off the left field fence, scoring Emily Gamboa to put the Lady Matadors up 1-0. Abigail Ibarra gave the Lady Matadors a two-run lead with a double, scoring Jessie Garcia, upping the lead to 2-0.

Southern Idaho sent 11 batters to the plate in the fourth inning, scoring eight runs to grab an 8-2 lead and added another run in the fifth to push the lead to 9-2.

Jessie Garcia and GiGi Garcia each hit solo home runs in the fifth inning while Sherlyn Molina hit one in the sixth to cut the deficit to four runs at 10-5. The Lady Matadors scored three runs in the seventh and brought the tying run to the plate before seeing the rally come to an end.

Jessie Garcia went 2-for-3 with a double and a home run while Valerie Joaquin also collected two hits, finishing the game 2-for-4 with a walk.

The Lady Matadors saw an 8-1 lead slip away late in the final game of the day, losing to Utah State-Eastern 9-8.

Arizona Western continued to swing the bats well in game one, scoring a run in the top of the first inning on a solo home run from Tinley Schmidgall, her first of the season. The Lady Matadors had their best offensive inning of the season, scoring seven runs in the second frame, highlighted by an Abigail Ibarra three-run homer, her second home run in as many days.

Utah State-Eastern held the Lady Matadors off the board for the remainder of the game and began the comeback in the third inning, scoring a pair of runs. The Golden Eagles used a seven-run inning of their own in the sixth and took the lead for good on a two-out, two-run double.

GiGi Garcia picked up a pair of hits in the loss while Schmidgall went 3-for-4 with a double and a home run.  

The Lady Matadors return to Charlie Dine Softball Field for the first time in 2023, hosting Chandler-Gilbert in an ACCAC doubleheader on Tuesday, February 7 at Noon.