FRESNO, Calif. – The University of New Mexico softball team dropped both games of its doubleheader to Fresno State Wednesday at Margie Wright Diamond, falling 4-0 in the first game before losing 4-1 in the second game.
In both games, the Lobos couldn’t muster much offense, and between pitching miscues in the first game and solid Bulldog hitting in the second game, Fresno State (28-13, 9-3 Mountain West) managed to capture the sweep of the visiting Lobos (22-18, 6-6 MW).
After Tuesday’s doubleheader was rained out, Fresno State and New Mexico played only one game yesterday, where the Lobos lost 7-1.
In the makeup games today, UNM didn’t fare much better, accumulating just seven combined hits and issuing 15 total walks.
Most of the bases on balls came in the first game, as Fresno State capitalized on 12 walks from three Lobos pitchers – including six walks by Lisa Rodrigues in 1.1 innings – to win. Each of Bulldogs’ four runs came via walks.
New Mexico was able to play an even game with Fresno State to open the first game, as both teams held each other scoreless through four innings.
But to open the fifth, starting pitcher Lauren Soles gave up back-to-back singles before giving way to Rodrigues. And while Rodrigues retired her first batter on a sacrifice bunt, she walked three of the next four batters to push two Fresno State runs across.
Rodrigues issues three free passes to open the sixth, too, and Krissy Fortner followed suit with two more walks to give the Bulldogs their final two runs.
Both teams registered just four hits apiece in the first game, and the Lobos managed the only extra-base hit, a one-out double by Jasmine Casados in the fourth. Fresno State also left 14 runners on base compared to four by UNM.
Soles, who pitched four innings and was charged with two earned runs on four hits, was tagged with the loss. She dropped to 7-5 on the year.
In the second game, the Lobos arms showed much better control, as Fortner posted a solid complete-game performance for New Mexico despite falling to 7-4. She struck out six, and gave up four earned runs on nine hits.
But Fresno State parlayed key extra-base hits into offense and relied on a flawless outing by starting pitcher Jill Compton to stifle the Lobos.
After two scoreless innings, Fortner yielded a two-out, two-run double to Michelle Solomon in the third inning, and gave up a two-out RBI triple to Kierra Willis in the fifth. The Bulldogs tacked on their fourth run in the sixth as Fortner served up an RBI double to Whitney Smith.
On the other side, Fresno State’s Compton held the Lobos hitless into the sixth, until Rodrigues connected on 2-2 pitch for a one-out home run. It was her fifth round-tripper of both the year and her career.
Michala Erickson and Mariah Rimmer both notched singles in the top of the seventh, but New Mexico couldn’t close the gap, falling 4-1.
The Lobos return to action Friday as they open up a three-game series against MW foe Colorado State in Albuquerque. First pitch for Friday’s game is slated for 5 p.m. MT at Lobo Field.