ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – It was a better day for the University of New Mexico softball team. The bats, pitching and defense all came together to chalk up two more in the win column.
The Lobos came-from-behind in the first game to top Rutgers 10-5 and got revenge in game two to beat Bakersfield 8-1.
New Mexico pounded out 17 hits on the day with, including six extra-base hits. The Lobos had multiple performances throughout the lineup including a breakout 3-for-3 with three RBIs from Michala Erickson in game one. Lisa Rodrigues kept her hot streak alive, going 1-for-1 on the day with six walks. Jasmine Casados blasted our her first career grand slam as a Lobo while Erickson put one over for her third on the season.
In the circle, Carrie Sheehan and Lauren Soles each improved to 5-1 on the season with wins in the circle. The two combined for just nine hits, one run and three strikeouts.
“We had some great innings and scored in multiple innings,” said head coach Erica Beach. “As a coach, that is what I like to see. We constantly put pressure on our opponents and had some amazing, clutch hits.We had so many strong parts in our lineup that is hard to point individuals out.
“We had some great base running and defense today. We had a double play that was fantastic. It has just been a lot of fun.”
The day started off with the Lobos falling behind quickly as Rodrigues started the game and the Scarlet Knights got after it with the bats, plating five in the first four innings.
But the Lobos made their way back, plating one in the third inning. Shelbie Franc doubled to left center to score Rodrigues.
Sheehan came in for Rodrigues and shut down Rutgers in the fifth, sixth and seventh.
The Lobos took care of things on the offense end as they scored three in the fifth to cut the lead to 5-4. The scoring started off when Hignojos singled and scored on Rodrigues’ double. The inning was capped with Erickson’s third home run of the season, a solo shot to left center.
Six runs came across in the sixth for the Lobos to take a 10-5 lead. Rimmer led off the sixth inning with a single to center field advance to second on Karissa Haleman’s sac bunt, which Haleman ended up safe. Rimmer scored on Erickson’s single to right to tie the game and Haleman scored the go ahead run on Heimburg’s fielder’s choice. Bases were then loaded and Casados put her blast over the right center field wall to add four more insurance runs to cap the scoring for the Lobos.
Sheehan claimed the win to improve to 5-1 on the season. In 3.2 innings of work, she allowed no runs off three hits while striking out two. Erickson went 3-for-3 at the plate with three RBIs and two runs scored.
Game two started off strong for New Mexico. After holding Bakersfield scoreless in the first inning the Lobos came to the plate hungry for revenge.
The Lobo lost to Bakersfield the night before 8-7 in eight innings.
With one out in the first, Franc was hit by a pitch. Casados followed with a single to right center. Franc later scored on Mariah Rimmer’s two-out single to right center.
Bakersfield put pressure on the Lobos in the second but the Lobos came back with six runs in the bottom of the innings.
It started with a walk by Rodrigues and then she scored on Heimburg’s triple to left. Heimburg then scored on Casados’ single through the left side. Franc scored on a Rimmer single and Casados scored on an RBI walk from Haleman. Rimmer and Johnson then scored of Hignojos through the left side to cap the scoring for the inning.
The Lobos added one more in the fifth off Johnson’s dropped third strike. Bakersfield made the play at first but Gabrielle Stacey came in safe at home to make it 8-1.
In the circle, Soles allowed one run off six hits while walking four and striking out one in 5.1 innings of work. Krissy Fortner came in as a relief to strikeout three Roadrunners, including the final one of the game. She allowed no runs off no hits in 1.2 innings of work.
The Lobos improved to 12-8 on the season. They will finish up the 2015 Lobo Classic with a final game Sunday against Rutgers at 9 a.m. MT.