TEMPE, ARIZ. — The University of New Mexico softball team completed day two of the Kajikawa Classic hosted by Arizona State University in Tempe on Saturday night. The Lobos fell to No. 21 Oklahoma State by a final score of 13-1.
The Lobos (1-2) had three pitchers total four innings in the game including senior Krissy Fortner, redshirt-junior Marissa Bethke and freshman Alexis Ruel. Fortner footed the loss starting the contest and allowing two hits and four earned runs in 0.1 inning. Bethke followed with four hits and three runs in 1.0 inning before Ruel finished the final 2.2 innings in the circle allowing eight hits and six runs.
The Cowgirls (3-1) got on the board early with a four-run bottom of the first inning on three hits and two errors followed by a three-run bottom of the second to go up 7-0 heading into the third.
In the top of the third, junior D’Andra DeFlora hit a solo homer over the left-center field fence to put UNM on the board against the ranked Oklahoma State squad. DeFlora was followed by freshman Andrea Howard who singled to center field. With Howard on first, senior Chelsea Johnson put the ball into play, but reached on a fielder’s choice with Howard out at second on the play for the first out of the inning. Two straight outs followed to end the inning.
Oklahoma State added two more runs in the bottom of the third and four more in the bottom of the fourth to get ahead by 12. The Lobos batted once more in the fifth, and with one out, Johnson singled to right field, but two outs followed to end the game on a mercy rule.
The Lobos were led by Howard and freshman Sam Oliver who each posted two hits on the day, combining for four of the Lobos’ seven.
UNM completes the Kajikawa Classic on Sunday, February 11, with a doubleheader against No. 3 Oregon and No. 7 Arizona at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m., respectively.