CHARLESTON, S.C. – The University of New Mexico softball took Georgia Southern to extra innings in game one but fell in both games by scores of 4-2 in game one and two on Thursday afternoon.
The Eagles were on the board early in the first game with a 1-0 lead but Carrie Sheehan held them scoreless in the next six innings before they plated another run.
The Lobos tied the game up at 1-1 in the bottom of the sixth. Chelsea Johnson walked and stole second. Rehanna Little pinch ran for Johnson and then scored on Karissa Haleman’s single to right field.
The bats were quiet in the seventh for both teams, sending the game into extra innings which meant an international tie breaker rule would be enforced. A runner is place on second for each team before the inning starts.
The Eagles plated their run taking a 2-1 lead but the Lobos rebounded as Brandi Heimburg scored on an error to tie the game 1-1.
Georgia Southern plated two more runs in the top of the ninth to take a 4-2 lead. The Lobos tried to put things together in the bottom of the inning but couldn’t pull through in their last at-bats.
Sheehan recorded the loss in the circle and is now 5-2 on the season. In 8.2 innings of work, she allowed four runs, one earned run, off seven hits. She collected two strikeouts and two walks.
At the plate, the Lobos tallied three hits. Heimburg, Haleman and Rodrigues each collected a hit. Haleman tallied the only RBI for the Lobos.
The Lobos saw a little more production at the plate, pounding out seven hits but the production was a little too late.
Lauren Soles kept the Eagles off balance through the first two innings before they plated two runs. She didn’t let them score again until the sixth.
The Eagles pitcher kept the Lobos scoreless until the seventh. Mia Hignojos doubled to left center to start off the seventh inning. She then scored on Rodrigues double straight over the center field’s head. She then scored on Heimburg’s bunt-for-base-hit. The two runs cut the Eagle lead to just two runs but was too late as they recorded the final out.
Soles took the loss in the circle and is now 5-3 on the season. In 5.2 innings of work, she allowed four runs, all earned, off 10 hits while walking three and striking out one.
At the plate, Mariah Rimmer and Rodrigues each went 2-for-3.
The Lobos drop to 12-11 on the season. They continue their east coast trip by participating in the College of Charleston Invitational. They kick off the round-robin tournament with Memphis tomorrow at 11 a.m. MT.