HENDERSON, Nev. - The Arizona Western Matadors Softball team (19-8, 3-3) split a doubleheader with the College of Southern Nevada, dropping game one 6-5 before bouncing back to win game two 9-5 on Friday.

GAME ONE

In the opener, the Matadors rallied late but came up just short. Larissa Rueda hit a two-run single in the seventh inning to pull Arizona Western within a run, highlighting a two-hit performance.

The Matadors took an early 1-0 lead in the fourth inning when Aaliyah Soderlund singled to score Analy Trejo. After Southern Nevada tied the game, Trejo put the Matadors back in front with an RBI single in the fifth. Freshman Riley Purdy tied the game at 3-3 with a solo home run in the top of the sixth, but the Coyotes answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 6-3 lead, which proved to be just enough to hold off the Matadors' seventh-inning comeback attempt.

Trejo finished the game with two hits, two runs scored and an RBI. Rauni Gallegos also collected a pair of hits for the Matadors in the loss.

GAME TWO

The Matadors' offense erupted in game two, led by a dominant performance from Analy Trejo, who drove in four runs with a two-run homer in the first inning and a two-run triple in the second. Autumn Arriola earned the win in the circle, pitching a complete game while striking out five batters.

Arizona Western jumped out to a 4-0 lead after two innings thanks to Trejo's extra-base hits. Southern Nevada cut the lead to 4-3 by the end of the fifth inning. The Matadors added an insurance run in the sixth on a sacrifice fly from Soderlund before breaking the game open with a four-run seventh inning, highlighted by a two-run double from Purdy and an RBI single from Rueda to secure the 9-5 win.

Rueda continued her strong day at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI in the victory.

Up Next

The Matadors wrap up their four-game series with the College of Southern Nevada on Saturday, March 14, with another doubleheader. First pitch from Henderson, Nev., is scheduled for 11 a.m.