ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The University of New Mexico softball team chipped its way back from a 10-5 deficit but fell short 12-9 to San Josè State Thursday in game one of the final series of the season at Lobo Softball Field.
The Lobos started out with a bang in the first inning after holding the Spartans scoreless. New Mexico put together three runs. Shelbie Franc scored off Mariah Rimmer’s sacrifice fly and Chelsea Johnson blasted out a two-run shot over right field, her sixth on the year.
The Spartans retaliated in the top of the second and scored two runs but the Lobos extended its lead in the bottom half of the inning with two runs. Lisa Rodrigues scored off Brandi Heimburg’s sacrifice fly and Jasmine Casados doubled to right field to score Michala Erickson.
In the next inning, San Josè State’s offense came alive off starting Lobo pitcher Carrie Sheehan. The Spartans scored four runs to take a 6-5 lead over the Lobos.
Rodrigues came in to relieve Sheehan but the Spartans put up four more runs which brought in another reliever for the Lobos, Tess McPherson. McPherson kept the Spartans off balance the next two innings which gave the Lobos a chance to make a comeback.
And they did.
After three scoreless innings on offense, the Lobos started to chip away, scoring three runs in the sixth. Rodrigues led off with a double and scored on Erickson’s single to center. Heimburg, then, blasted out her second home run of the season, third career, over the right center wall to score Erickson. Those three runs cut the Spartan lead to 10-8.
But the Spartans added two runs in the seventh off McPherson. Krissy Fortner came into the circle to relieve McPherson and shut down the Spartans.
The Lobos managed to get one run across in their last chance as Karissa Haleman blasted her sixth home run of the year over the center field wall but two strikeouts cut them short.
Rodrigues took the loss for the Lobos in the circle. She allowed six runs off five hits while walking two 1.1 innings of work. The Lobos had a total of three strikeouts, two from Sheehan and one from Fortner.
At the plate, four Lobos each had two hits apiece. Haleman went 2-for-3 with an RBI while Casados, Johnson and Erickson each went 2-for-3, Casados and Erickson with an RBI and Johnson with two RBIs, respectively.
The Lobos are now 28-24 on the season and 12-10 in the Mountain West. San Josè State improved to 36-18 on the season and 16-6 in the MW. The two meet for game two of the three-game series tomorrow at 6 p.m. at Lobo Softball Field. Live stats and video will be available on GoLobos.com.