April 17, 2011
By Chelsea Einerwold, Writer/GoLobos.com
The University of New Mexico softball team pounded out 13 hits en route to its second-straight Mountain West Conference victory over Colorado State, 19-6, on Sunday afternoon at Ram Field in Fort Collins, Colo.
The Lobos are now 17-17 overall and 3-2 in MWC action, while the Rams are 7-33 on the season and 0-5 in conference play.
Kari Gutierrez (8-7) claimed the win for New Mexico. The sophomore faced 13 batters in the final 2.2 innings and gave up just two hits and only one earned run. Sophomore Kaela DeBroeck started on the mound and pitched 2.1 innings, facing 17 batters and striking out three.
New Mexico got right to work in the top of the first inning, putting up five runs on three hits. With one out and the bases loaded sophomore Stefanie Carramusa hit a double to left field, driving in Kerry Hodgins and Jessica Garcia who had reached on a single and a walk, respectively. Following Carramusa was freshman Chelsea Anaya, who also hit a double to left field and drove in Danielle Castro and Carramusa. The Lobos were able to get their final run of the inning off an illegal pitch.
New Mexico continued its offensive charge in the second and third innings, as they scored nine more runs off of seven hits and two errors and made it 14-1 after two and a half innings of play. Part of the exceptional innings at the plate were back-to-back home runs in the third inning by Castro and Carramusa. Castro has four home runs on the season while Carramusa has notched seven.
In the bottom of the third CSU made a small surge, scoring four runs on four hits. The Rams answered the Lobos with two homers of their own–first by Emily Pohl and then by Lyssa Roberts.
CSU held New Mexico off in the fourth inning and was able to put up one run to make the score 14-6 heading into the fifth.
In the final inning, the Lobos capitalized on five walks and two hits to put up five more runs. New Mexico held off CSU and claimed their second-straight MWC win, 19-6.
The Lobos are back in action at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 19 when they host New Mexico State. This will be the second encounter between the in-state rivals, with the Lobos coming out on top 3-2 in Las Cruces on April 4. The Aggies are 32-12 overall and are coming off of three-game sweep over Nevada.