ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – It was a slugfest Friday evening at the Lobo Softball Field but the University of New Mexico softball team defeated Utah State 13-6 to even the series 1-1. The Lobos are now 16-12 on the season and 1-1 in conference action. The Aggies are 13-12 overall and 1-1 in Mountain West play.
“One of the biggest things we talked about yesterday was doing the little things right,” said head coach Erica Beach. “They came out with great energy today. We played great defense and had better pitching today. Our offense exploded and they got their confidence back.”
The game started out with an early 3-0 Lobo lead in the first after junior Michala Erickson singled through the left side and later scored on junior Jasmine Casados’ double to right field. Senior Mariah Rimmer, who hit a hard line drive to the pitcher earlier, and Casados both scored off sophomore Chelsea Johnson’s double to left center.
Utah State responded with one run in the second off Lobo starter Lauren Soles but the Lobos responded with two of their own in the second to take a 5-1 lead. Erickson singled in to right to score freshman Cheyenne Smith and senior Karissa Haleman.
But Utah State wasn’t going down without a fight. The two teams went scoreless in the third but Utah State broke open their offense in the fifth putting five runs up on the board to take a 6-5 lead. Junior Tess McPherson came in to relieve Soles and get out of the jam.
UNM put more offense together in the fourth as Rimmer singled in freshman pinch runner Kasey Halleen for the tying run. Johnson came to the plate with bases loaded and saw two balls and two strikes go by before she hit her first home run of the season, a grand slam over the left field wall to clear the bases and give the Lobos a 10-6 lead, which ended up being the lead for good.
“Chelsea is someone that we have needed to step up,” said Beach. “She is feeling really confident with the bat and she came up big for us. She has so much power in her bat.”
McPherson kept the Aggies off balance forcing them into a double play and a ground out in the fifth. That gave the Lobos more momentum, especially Rimmer, as she smashed her fourth home run of the season over center field in the bottom half of the fifth. The three-run homer gave the Lobos more insurance runs to help them close out the game.
In the circle, McPherson kept going at the Utah State batters but defense was key in the Lobos success in the final innings. Rimmer threw out an Aggie runner from second in the seventh and McPherson forced a ground out to finish the game.
At the plate, the Lobos pounded out 17 hits with Johnson and Rimmer going for a combined 7-for-8 with 10 RBIs. Johnson finished 4-for-4 with six RBIs while Rimmer finished 3-for-4 with four RBIs. Erickson also had four hits, going 4-for-5 at the plate with two RBIs and three runs scored. Junior Shelbie Franc and freshman Jade Gray each had two hits.
McPherson picked up her third win on the season. She did not allow a run on three hits while striking out one and walking none in four innings of work. Soles allowed six runs off eight hits while walking one in three innings.
The Lobos (16-12, 1-1 MW) and the Aggies face off in the rubber match tomorrow afternoon at noon. The annual Easter Egg Hunt will take place at the top of the third inning. Tickets for all fans will be $3 and the first 100 kids will receive a free backpack.