TEMPE, ARIZ. — The University of New Mexico softball team completed its opening weekend at the Kajikawa Classic with a doubleheader against a pair of top-10 teams on Sunday. The Lobos fell to No. 3 Oregon by a score of 14-1 before being shutout by No. 7 Arizona, 8-0.
A trio of Lobos led the UNM offense on the day including senior Chelsea Johnson, junior Kasey Halleen and freshman Sam Oliver. Freshman Alexis Ruel pitched five innings while sophomore Jensen Main pitched four.
Game 1: New Mexico 1, #3 Oregon 14 – Box Score PDF
Starting in the circle for the Lobos was Ruel in her third collegiate appearance in five games. She pitched 5.0 innings in her second complete game, allowing 13 hits and 14 runs to the Ducks.
The Lobos held Oregon (6-0) to just one run each in three innings, the first, the third and the fifth. In the second and fourth, however, the Ducks collected six and five runs, respectively en route to the win.
After Oregon scored six runs in the top of the second on four hits and one error, UNM responded in the bottom of the frame. Sophomore Cameryn O’Grady led off with a walk followed by a single to right center field off the bat of junior Kasey Halleen. Redshirt-junior Jade Gray laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance O’Grady to third and Halleen to second. With two outs, O’Grady took advantage of a passed ball, crossing the plate before a strikeout ended the inning.
The Lobos entered the bottom of the third down 8-1 and led off with a single from Oliver, but she was thrown out at second on the play. A groundout, a walk and another groundout finished the inning.
Oregon put up one more run in the top of the fifth before UNM threatened in the bottom of the inning. With one out, freshman Sydney Broderick was hit by a pitch, followed by freshman Andrea Howard who walked. Johnson singled up the middle to load the bases before a strikeout and a groundout ended the game.
UNM tallied three hits, one apiece from Johnson, Halleen and Oliver.
Game 2: New Mexico 0, #7 Arizona 8 – Box Score PDF
Main pitched all four innings in UNM’s contest against Arizona (4-1), allowing nine hits and just two earned runs. She walked just two batters and posted a pair of strikeouts. Main falls to 0-2 on the season with the loss. Arizona junior Taylor McQuillin pitched five innings, walked one batter and tallied 11 strikeouts.
The Lobos shut out Arizona through the first two innings, allowing just two hits before scoring they scored two runs in the bottom of the third. The Wildcats scored on a one-out, two-run homer to get ahead 2-0.
Arizona broke the game open in the bottom of the fourth with six runs on four hits and two errors. The Wildcats opened the inning with a single to shortstop by Carli Campbell, who advanced to third on an error and scored on a three-run homer by Reyna Carranco. Dejah Mulipola doubled to right center and advanced to third on an error that allowed Alyssa Palomino on base. Aleah Craighton followed with another three-run shot to left for the final runs of the game.
The Lobos led off with a lineout in the fifth as they attempted a comeback followed by sophomore Lauren Wilmert who walked. Halleen and Main both struck out for the final two outs of the contest.
The Lobos return to action on Friday, February 16, as they travel to Las Vegas, Nev. for the UNLV Desert Classic. UNM will take on No. 19 BYU on Friday at 1:30 p.m. and Hawaii at 6 p.m. followed by another doubleheader on Saturday against UTEP at 9 a.m. and South Dakota at 1:30 p.m. The Lobos will wrap up the tournament on Sunday at 11:15 against CSUN.
Live stats will be available for all five games at lobos.statbroadcast.com.