ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Sophomore Chelsea Johnson led the University of New Mexico softball team offensively to a series win over Utah State in the first weekend of Mountain West Play, earning herself Mountain West Player of the Week, as announced by the conference office Tuesday morning. This is the first Mountain West weekly honor for Johnson and the first for the softball team this season.
“Chelsea had a breakout performance this week,” said head coach Erica Beach. “She helped spearhead our offensive production in all three games and show what she is truly capable of. I’m so proud of her hard work and am very excited to see it pay off.”
Johnson led the team at the plate, going 6-for-10 with three runs scored, nine RBIs, two doubles and a home run in each of the three games.
Her biggest moment of the weekend came in game two of the series. The Lobos and the Aggies were tied 6-6 in the fourth inning when Johnson smashed the ball over the left field wall with bases loaded, her second homer of the weekend and her first career grand slam, to give the Lobos a 10-6 lead and eventually ended up being the game-winner.
In that second game, she was a triple short of hitting for cycle. She went 4-for-4 with six RBIs off two doubles and a grand slam to go along with a run scored.
She finished the weekend with a .600 on-base percentage and an impressive 1.700 slugging percentage.
Her first home run of the weekend came in game one, a solo shot to help extend the Lobos’ lead to 4-2. The final home run of the weekend came in game three, a two-run shot to help the Lobos secure a 4-0 shutout of Utah State and their first MW series win.
The Lobos will look to continue their momentum into the weekend as they head to Reno, Nevada for a three-game series with the Nevada Wolf Pack. The Lobos return home on April 8 to take on Fresno State in a series.