ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The University of New Mexico softball team battle with Rio Grande Rival New Mexico State but fell in extra innings 3-2 Wednesday at the Lobo Softball Field.
It’s always a tough matchup with New Mexico State. Both teams always grind to get that win. And it wasn’t any different today.
Lobo starter Lisa Rodrigues held her own in the circle, shutting out the Aggies through the first six innings. Her performance in the circle through those innings allowed the Lobos to put together some offensive threats, including a 1-0 lead in the second.
“Lisa threw a fantastic game,” said head coach Erica Beach. “She shut them out for six innings and it was an incredible performance. That is something we have needed out of her. I was really proud of that.”
In the second, senior Karissa Haleman homered to center field, her third on the season. That helped the Lobos take a 1-0 lead that they held through the sixth inning.
“I was hoping that with the great pitching, we could have had more offensive production,” Beach said. “They still had tough at-bats and worked hard all seven innings and into extras but we need to close out games.”
The Aggies weren’t going down without a fight as they stayed alive in the top of the seventh, scoring a run on a pass ball. The Lobos got out of the inning with a tie ball game 1-1 but couldn’t put together hits to finish off the Aggies in regulation.
In the eighth, Rodrigues gave up a single with one out. Coach Beach went to sophomore Krissy Fortner in the circle to help the Lobos get out of the inning. Fortner gave up a double on her first batter which moved runners into scoring position. The batter hit a sacrifice fly to score the go-ahead run, taking a 2-1 lead over the Lobos. The Aggies added one more insurance run off another double.
New Mexico tried to stay alive in the bottom of the inning as they scored one run with two outs. Freshman Cheyenne Smith led off with a single to center. Erickson’s fielder’s choice put Smith out a second. Senior Mariah Rimmer flew out to right field but Casados followed with a single to center. Casados’ hard-hit ball got behind the centerfielder, allowing Erickson to score. Johnson then came to the plate but fouled out to third that ended the game.
At the plate, Casados and Erickson each went 2-for-4. Haleman had the only RBI of the game with her home run.
In the circle, Rodrigues took the loss, dropping to 2-3 on the season. She allowed two runs, one earned, off six hits while walking four and striking out one in 7.1 innings of work. In two-thirds of an inning, Fortner allowed one run off three hits.
The Lobos are now 22-22 overall and will finish up their home schedule this weekend with a three-game series with San Diego State. The series will start Friday at 5 p.m. with Saturday’s game at 1 p.m. and Sunday’s game at noon. Sunday will be Senior Day which will include a senior presentation following the game.