ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The University of New Mexico softball team scored four runs in the fourth inning to tie the game at 4-4 but couldn’t get anything across in the final three innings as it fell 7-4 to Nevada on Saturday in the final game of the three-game series.
Nevada was on the board first as it scored one run in the second. The Wolf Pack extended their lead to 4-0 with three runs in the fourth inning.
But the Lobos weren’t going to back down that easy as they always put up a fight.
“We played hard,” said head coach Erica Beach. “I knew it was going to be a crazy game and I knew there was going to be a lot of offense but our team didn’t quit fighting at any point.”
In the bottom of the fourth, the Lobos used a four-run inning to tie the game up 4-4. Mariah Rimmer led off with a walk and she advanced to second on Karissa Haleman’s ground out to the pitcher. Lisa Rodrigues walked. Both Rimmer and Rodrigues scored off back-to-back singles from Shelbie Franc and Mia Hignojos.
The Lobos got two more runs across. Gabrielle Stacey reached on a fielder’s choice and Michala Erickson tied the game as she ran out a grounder to second for an infield single that scored Stacey and Hignojos.
But the Lobo comeback stopped there as they went scoreless the next three innings and only recorded one hit through those three innings.
Nevada took advantage of the Lobo pitching staff as it claimed the victory in the sixth inning with three runs. Nevada singled through the right side and stole second before three hit batters by Lauren Soles put the winning run across the plate. Another hit batter put another run on the board and a passed ball capped the scoring for the Wolf Pack.
The Lobos used all of their pitching staff today but Tess McPherson took the loss in the circle. She allowed two runs off two hits while walking two in 1.2 innings of work. Krissy Fortner, who started the game, allowed one run off four hits. Rodrigues came in the second inning and allowed three runs off four hits. Soles allowed one run in a third of an inning of work and Carrie Sheehan came in the sixth inning and did not allow a run.
“We relied on every single one of our pitchers today and we need a little more mental toughness to keep them off bases and to keep them from scoring.”
The Lobos only collected five hits on the game and were led at the plate by Hignojos as she went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Franc, Casados and Erickson were the only other Lobos to have a hit.
New Mexico drops to 22-16 on the season and 6-3 in the Mountain West, while Nevada improves to 12-23 on the season and 2-4 in the Mountain West. The Lobos return to action on Tuesday as they head to Fresno State for a mid-week, three-game series. The next home game will be Friday as the Lobos welcome in Colorado State.
“We have a quick turnaround to get down to Fresno State but we need to have a short-term and a quick recovery. We need to learn from this game and come out and play one of the best teams in the conference.”