ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The University of New Mexico softball team fell just short in a slugfest with UNLV 13-12 on Friday evening at Lobo Softball Field. New Mexico falls to 20-18 on the season and 5-7 in the Mountain West. UNLV improves to 21-24 on the season and 5-11 in conference action.
“We can’t ask for a better fight out of our offense,” said head coach Erica Beach. “It was incredible on what they put forward today. But today we struggled a little on defense and we didn’t have one pitcher that came in and wanted to compete. When the situations got tough, they gave up the clutch hits.”
It was all offense tonight for the Lobos as they jumped out to a four-run lead in the second inning. Junior Shelbie Franc sparked the New Mexico offense with an RBI single up the middle that scored Johnson. Franc and senior Karissa Haleman scored on an error by UNLV. The final run of the inning came on another error as Smith scored.
UNLV then answered with two runs, cutting the Lobos’ lead to 4-2. The two teams bats were silent in the bottom of the third and top of the fourth. The Lobos put up a run in the bottom of the fourth off an RBI triple from Franc.
But the Rebels figured out what freshman Colette Robert’s strategy was, putting up a six spot in the fifth, giving the Rebels a 8-5 lead. The Lobos went to Tess McPherson to get out of the inning.
The Lobos didn’t have an answer in the bottom of the fifth but the answer did come in the sixth, putting up four runs off two home runs to take a 9-8 lead over the Rebels. Junior Michala Erickson singled to the infield with one out before senior Mariah Rimmer blasted her sixth home run of the season over the right field wall. Junior Jasmine Casados then singled before sophomore Chelsea Johnson hit her sixth one of the year, a two-run shot over left center.
It came down to the seventh and the Lobos brought in their closer Krissy Fortner but UNLV picked up on Fortner right away putting up five runs to give them a 13-9 lead.
But the Lobos weren’t going down easy on their home turf. Erickson got the inning started off a single to right center. Rimmer then singled up the middle and then Casados doubled to score Erickson. Two more runs came across as Johnson hit a sac fly to right to score Rimmer. Haleman was a foot away from tying the game as she smashed the ball to right field, hitting a foot away from a home run. The hit was ruled a double which scored Casados. Freshman D’Andra DeFlora came to the plate but grounded out to third to end the game.
The Lobos pounded out 16 hits with Johnson leading the way, going 3-for-4 with three RBI. Erickson and Rimmer had three hits apiece while Franc and Casados finished with two hits.
Fortner took the loss in the circle, dropping to 3-4 on the season. She allowed five runs off five hits in an inning of work. McPherson pitched for 1.2 innings allowing two hits. The Lobo starter Robert allowed eight runs, six earned, off seven hits in 4.1 innings of work.
The Lobos (20-18, 5-7 MW) will look to take game two of the three-game series against UNLV tomorrow at 1 p.m. at the Lobo Softball Field. A live stream and live stats will be available on GoLobos.com.