LUBBOCK, TEXAS — The University of New Mexico softball team closed its fourth tournament of the season with an 8-1 loss to Texas Tech on Sunday afternoon, ultimately splitting with the Red Raiders on the weekend after earning a 14-13 win in 10 innings on Friday.
With the loss, the Lobos fall to 3-17 on the season while Texas Tech improves to 12-7.
Sophomore Jensen Main started in the circle, pitching 3.2 innings and allowing seven runs before freshman Alexis Ruel entered in relief in the fourth inning, allowing one more run in 2.1 innings.
UNM nearly got on the board early when sophomore Cameryn O’Grady led off with a walk in the top of the first inning. After a pair of Lobo strikeouts, junior Kristyn Whitley singled to right field to advance O’Grady safely all the way to third. O’Grady was thrown out however after the Texas Tech right fielder hit the cutoff at second who sent the ball home for the tag.
Texas Tech got off to a strong start with a four-run performance in the bottom of the first to make it 4-0. The inning led off with a double from Heaven Burton who was driven home on a single through the left side by Kiana Workman. With a pair of runners on base, Karli Hamilton blasted a homerun to center field for three more.
Neither team scored again until the Lobos got on the board in the top of the fourth. Senior Chelsea Johnson led off the inning with a single to right field and advanced to second when Whitley laid down a successful sacrifice bunt. With two outs, junior Kasey Halleen reached base on error, advancing Johnson to third. Johnson crossed the plate when freshman Sydney Broderick singled to left field, 4-1 TTU.
The Red Raiders responded in the bottom of the frame, however, when they put up three more runs on another three-run bomb to left field, 7-1 Texas Tech.
Texas Tech scored just once more in the bottom of the fifth for the 8-1 final.
The Red Raiders outhit the Lobos 9-6 on the day while the UNM left seven runners stranded on base compared to five for TTU. Of UNM’s six hits, two came from Broderick while O’Grady, Johnson, Whitley and junior D’Andra DeFlora combined for the other four.
Main takes the loss for the Lobos and is now 1-7 on the season.
The Lobos return to action on Friday, March 9, when they host the Lobo Classic in Albuquerque. UNM will play Saint Mary’s (1 p.m.) and Sacramento State (6 p.m.) in its opening doubleheader on Friday before hosting another on Saturday, March 10 against Howard (1 p.m.) and Saint Mary’s (6 p.m.). The final game of the tournament will be on Sunday at 1 p.m. against Sacramento State.