YUMA, Ariz. – Arizona Western Lady Matadors Softball (11-21) settled for a split in a doubleheader with Mesa (18-10) on Thursday afternoon in Mesa, Ariz., winning game one 16-4 before falling in the second game 14-6.

Jessie Garcia homered twice and drove in six runs in the game one victory, going 2-for-5 while also throwing a complete game, allowing four unearned runs on seven hits, striking out four in a win.

The Lady Matadors scored five runs in the first inning to open up a 5-0 lead before the Thunderbirds trimmed the lead to one, scoring four in the bottom half.

Arizona Western opened the game up in the fourth inning, scoring five runs before putting the game out of reach in the sixth with a six-run frame. Garcia shut down the Thunderbirds, keeping Mesa scoreless after the first inning.

Eight Lady Matadors finished with multi-hit games, led by Desiree Moran who finished the opener going 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles. Tinley Schmidgall drove in three runs while collecting two hits and Kimberly Valenzuela went 2-for-3 with two runs batted in. Sherlyn Molina also homered in the win.

Schmidgall and GiGi Garcia both homered twice in the game-two loss as the Lady Matadors allowed 11 runs in the second inning and were unable to recover.

Arizona Western scored two runs in each of the final three innings but wouldn't get any closer. Schmidgall finished the game 2-for-3 with two runs batted in while Garcia also went 2-for-3 with two runs driven in.

Jessie Garcia collected a pair of hits while Mackenzie Barney tripled and Valerie Joaquin doubled in the loss. Schmidgall tossed a scoreless inning in relief.

The Lady Matadors are back on the road on Saturday, March 25, heading to Chandler, Ariz., taking on Chandler-Gilbert in a doubleheader beginning at 12:00 pm.