RIVERSIDE, CALIF. — The University of New Mexico softball team dropped its opening doubleheader on Friday at the UC Riverside (UCR) Classic, falling to George Washington 8-3 in game one before a six-inning, 9-1 loss against UC Riverside closed the day. The Lobos are back in action against Montana on Saturday at 10 a.m. MT (9 a.m. PT).
Leading the Lobos on the day was senior Chelsea Johnson and sophomore Cameryn O’Grady. The duo posted three hits apiece including a homerun for Johnson and a double for O’Grady. Also belting a homer on the day was freshman Andrea Howard, who registered a pair of hits over the two games.
With the loss, the Lobos move to 2-10 on the season while George Washington improved to 4-2 and UC Riverside is now 8-4.
Game 1: New Mexico 3, George Washington 8 – BOX SCORE (PDF)
The Lobos got out to a rough start in game one and were ultimately unable to recover. George Washington scored eight runs in the first inning to get out to a commanding 8-0 lead, but the Lobos refused to allow them to score again, shutting the squad out over the next six innings for an 8-3 final score.
Freshman Alexis Ruel started in the circle and pitched to five batters before senior Krissy Fortner entered the game in relief. Fortner completed the game, allowing seven hits in 7.0 innings. She allowed the final three runs, two earned, of the first frame before collecting four strikeouts and shutting GW down for the remainder of the game.
Offensively, the Lobos responded early, putting up one run in the bottom of the first. After a lead-off strikeout, junior D’Andra DeFlora walked followed by a single up the middle by Johnson. She was followed by a single deep to right field by O’Grady, scoring DeFlora for the first Lobo run of the game.
The Lobos scored again on a comeback rally attempt in the bottom of the seventh when, with one out, Howard homered over the right-field fence to make it 8-2. GW swapped pitchers after the homer and sophomore Jensen Main walked and stole second to get in scoring position. Main crossed the plate when junior Kristyn Whitley singled down the left field line to drive her home. Whitley was out on the play at second to make it two outs.
One last strikeout would end the inning, and the game, for the 8-3 final.
While the Lobos struggled to score runs, they did land several runners on base. UNM stranded a total of 11 runners in game one alone. UNM also posted nine hits compared to 11 for George Washington.
The Lobos were led in the game by Johnson and O’Grady who each posted a pair of hits. O’Grady, Whitley and Howard combined for the teams’ three RBI.
Game 2: New Mexico 1, UC Riverside 9 (6 Innings) – BOX SCORE (PDF)
Main started in the circle for the Lobos in game two as UNM once again allowed early runs to define the outcome of the game. She pitched 3.2 innings, totaled three strikeouts, gave up six hits and allowed six runs. Redshirt-junior Marissa Bethke entered the game and pitched 1.1 innings, facing four batters, before Fortner reappeared for UNM and closed the game. She pitched 0.2 inning, gave up three hits and allowed three runs.
A trio of Lobos went down with swinging strikeouts to open the top of the first inning before UCR scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame to get out to a 2-0 lead early.
In the bottom of the inning, the Lobos scored their only run of the game on a lead-off homer from Johnson. She got the bats started as Howard followed with a ripped single up the middle, and advanced to second on a successful DeFlora sacrifice bunt. But back-to-back strikeouts stranded Howard on base, 2-1 UCR.
A triple down the right line for UCR in the bottom of the second scored the leadoff batter, who walked, to make it 3-1 before UNM threatened.
With one out in the top of the third, O’Grady blasted a double to right field to get into scoring position. She was stranded, however, as a pair of Lobos struck out looking to end the inning.
Main and the Lobo defense sent three straight batters back to the dugout in the bottom of the third and Bethke did the same in the fifth, but the fourth was trouble and the sixth clinched the victory for UCR.
In the bottom of the fourth, UCR scored three runs on a pair of hits. Main started out with two straight outs before two hit batters, a single, a walk and a double made it 6-1. Bethke entered the circle to register the final out of the inning.
Fortner entered the game in the bottom of the sixth. UCR led off with a single and, with two outs, Sarah Parten doubled to right field to score a run, 7-1 UC Riverside. She was followed by Jenae Lockwood who launched a walk-off, two-RBI double to claim the win.
The Lobos registered three hits in the game compared to nine for UC Riverside. The hits came from O’Grady, Johnson and Howard. UNM left four runners on base in game two while UCR stranded six.
The Lobos return to action on Saturday, Feb. 24 for a single game at 10 a.m. MT (9 a.m. PT) against Montana before closing out the UCR Classic with another doubleheader against George Washington and UC Riverside on Sunday, Feb. 25 at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. MT (9/2 PT).