LAS VEGAS, Nev. – The University of New Mexico softball team downed UNLV, 5-4 Sunday afternoon to claim their first Mountain West series. The Lobos are now 16-12 on the year and 2-1 in conference action.
“I’m really proud the girls came up with a series win to start conference,” said head coach Erica Beach. “Tess (McPherson) threw well and Krissy (Fortner) did a great job coming in to finish the game for us.”
The bats started off early in the first inning as Shelbie Franc led off the game with an infield single. An out later, Jasmine Casados singled to right field. Chelsea Johnson took her first pitch of the game over the left field wall, scoring Franc and Casados and giving the Lobos a 3-0 lead.
“Chelsea came up with a huge hit early, which really set the tone for us,” said Beach. “UNLV fought back hard and it really made the finish exciting.”
UNLV used one hit and a walk in the bottom half of the inning to generate and respond with a run.
The two teams went scoreless the next two innings until the Lobos broke open the bats again, scoring two and extending their lead to 5-1. Lauren Wilmert his sacrifice fly to score Cameryn O’Grady, who pinch ran for Doris Smith. The next run came off Casados’ double to left, scoring DeFlora.
The Rebels responded again but only cut the Lobos lead to 5-2 after a two-out single. Trying to hold off the Lobos, the Rebels went with a new pitcher in the fifth.
The Lobos went scoreless in the fifth and also made a pitching change in the bottom half of the inning. Krissy Fortner came in for Tess McPherson after UNLV loaded the bases. Fortner got out of the jam as the third out lined out to end the inning.
In the sixth, UNLV cut the Lobos lead to one run, 5-4. With two outs, the Rebels put together back-to-back RBI doubles to bring themselves within one.
The Lobos went scoreless in the seventh, which meant they needed to hold off UNLV in its final at bats. Fortner allowed one hit but struck out the final to batters to earn her third save on the year.
Tess McPherson claimed the victory in the circle, improving to 8-5 on the season. She allowed two runs off seven hits in 4.1 innings of work. Fortner allowed two runs off four hits in 2.2 innings of work. She struck out two and walked one. The save ups Fortner’s UNM career save record to 14.
At the plate, Franc and Johnson each had 3-for-4 efforts. Johnson led the team with three RBIS, while Lauren Wilmert and Casados each had an RBI.
New Mexico returns home next weekend to host their first Mountain West series. The Lobos will take on Colorado State March 31-April 2. All three games will air on the Mountain West Network.