Trio of Homers Wins it for Lobos, 5-2
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — For the first time since the Lobos’ victory over NMSU on April 3, the University of New Mexico softball team belted three homeruns en route to a 5-2 victory over the visiting San Diego State Aztecs on Friday night. The win also marked head coach Paula Congleton’s 400th career victory.
After the Aztecs got on the board first in the top of the first inning, sophomore Cameryn O’Grady blasted a lead-off, solo homer over the center field fence in the bottom of the fourth, tying it back up, 1-1.
BOT 4 | O’Grady ties it up with her third HOMER of the year! It’s 1-1 here at Lobo Softball Field. #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/8TjXts7szF
— UNM Softball (@UNMLoboSB) May 5, 2018
SDSU added another run in the top of the sixth to once again reclaim the lead, 2-1, but the Lobos responded with back-to-back, two-run bombs for four runs in the bottom of the sixth for the 5-2 victory.
Junior Aleyah Wilbon led off with a walk before SDSU replaced starting pitcher Marissa Moreno for the top Aztec pitcher of the season, Alex Formby (2.46 ERA). O’Grady fouled out to third base but senior Chelsea Johnson followed with her eighth homerun of the season to left center to score Wilbon and take the lead, 3-2. Johnson is now ranked fourth in UNM history with 32 career homeruns.
BOT 6 | Chelsea Johnson with her eighth HOMER of the year to put the Lobos back on top 3-2! #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/nC6hTirzmt
— UNM Softball (@UNMLoboSB) May 5, 2018
Freshman Andrea Howard followed with a smartly-laid bunt to reach first with just one out and was followed immediately by junior D’Andra DeFlora’s slam to center field to score the pair, 5-2 Lobos. DeFlora’s homer marks her fifth of the season, her first since March 9 against Sacramento State.
BOT 6 | That’s another LOBO HOMER as DeFlora blasts another two-run bomb to extend the Lobo lead to three, 5-2! #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/1YY7lXJro7
— UNM Softball (@UNMLoboSB) May 5, 2018
Sophomore Jensen Main pitched well in the circle, tossing 6.0 innings while scattering nine hits and allowing just two runs. Senior Krissy Fortner earned her first save of the season, pitching the final frame and allowing just one hit while striking out one.
Forter’s save marks the 16th of her career and elevates the UNM record for career saves to 16.
With the victory, the Lobos improve to 13-35 on the season, 6-13 in the Mountain West while SDSU is now 16-30 overall, 7-12 in the league.
UNM will resume its final home series on Saturday with a senior day whiteout at 12 p.m. and on Sunday with the series finale, also at 12 p.m.