Lobos Clinch Series with 4-1 Win
BOX SCORE (PDF) | PHOTO GALLERY
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The University of New Mexico softball team clinched its first conference series of the season on Sunday with a 4-1 victory over the San Diego State Aztecs in UNM’s last game of the season at Lobo Softball Field. Both Lobo seniors went out in style on the day.
Senior Chelsea Johnson hit her third homerun of the series, a two-run shot, in the bottom of the sixth inning for her 10th of the season to seal the 4-1 win. She also cements herself in the UNM record book twice for single-season homeruns, tying for seventh with 10, right behind her sixth-place spot with 11 from 2016. She remains fourth in program history with 34 career homers.
Johnson went 3-for-3 at the plate while driving in three of UNM’s four runs.
In the circle, sophomore Jensen Main nearly registered her first shutout of the season, the second of her career, until the Aztecs posted one lone run in the top of the seventh. She allowed eight hits and is credited for the run as it was on base before she was relieved by UNM career save leader Krissy Fortner.
Fortner finished her last game on her home field with 1.0 innings allowing no hits and no runs, keeping her composure as she entered the game with the bases loaded.
In addition to Johnson’s multi-homer weekend, junior D’Andra DeFlora also registered a pair on the series with a solo shot to center field in the second.
The Lobos got the scoring started early with a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Junior Sydney Townes led off with a walk and, with two outs, Johnson continued her dominating performance on the series with an RBI single deep to right field – her first hit of the game. She scored Townes from second and advanced to third on an error by the SDSU second baseman, where she was stranded after a groundout.
BOT 1 | Lobos are on the board with a Johnson RBI single to score Townes, who walked! Johnson advances to third on an error by the SDSU right fielder. 1-0 UNM #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/vFeRa1baeD
— UNM Softball (@UNMLoboSB) May 6, 2018
SDSU threatened in the top of the second, placing runners in scoring position with two outs after a Lobo error in the field. UNM got out of the jam when sophomore Cameryn O’Grady fielded a perfect grounder at short to preserve the 1-0 Lobo lead.
DeFlora added to the UNM advantage in the bottom of the second with a lead-off, solo homer to center field to make it 2-0. The homerun marked her second of the series, her sixth of the season.
BOT 2 | Make that a 2-0 Lobo lead as DeFlora hits her SECOND bomb of the series! #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/9qDYKGFAk2
— UNM Softball (@UNMLoboSB) May 6, 2018
Neither team was able to score again, despite a few close calls by SJSU, until Johnson smacked her big homerun with no outs in the bottom of the sixth, scoring O’Grady who had reached base on a walk, putting the Lobos on top 4-0.
BOT 6 | Johnson with her THIRD homer of the series to put the Lobos up 4-0! #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/l2on14SGd7
— UNM Softball (@UNMLoboSB) May 6, 2018
SDSU scored just one after loading the bases in the top of the seventh.
UNM was outhit 8-4 on the day but an outstanding defensive effort that included multiple diving catches and impressive field plays kept the Aztecs scoreless for six innings. Three of UNM’s hits were from Johnson and one was from DeFlora.
The Lobos improve to 14-36 overall, 7-14 in the Mountain West while SDSU is 17-31, 8-13 MW on the season.
The Lobos will return to action for their final series of the 2018 season at Boise State Thursday, May 10 – Saturday, May 12.