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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — After leading by one, 5-4 in the top of the sixth inning, The University of New Mexico softball team fell by a final score of 12-7 on Wednesday night to the New Mexico State Aggies at Lobo Softball Field. Freshman Andrea Howard helped lead the Lobos with a two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth.
Sophomore Jensen Main claims the loss, falling to 4-10 on the season, relieved by senior Krissy Fortner in the sixth inning. Main allowed just four runs, all in the top of the fourth, before allowing four more in the top of the sixth as NMSU overtook the 5-4 Lobo advantage and took an 8-5 lead. Main struck out three batters in 5.0 innings while allowing 12 hits and four earned runs.
Fortner finished the contest, allowing four runs, three earned, on six hits in 2.0 innings.
As a team, the Lobos were outhit 18-6 on the night while NMSU stranded 15 runners compared to seven for UNM. Freshman Day’Mian Johnson helped lead the Lobos, scoring twice and registering her first collegiate hit, a double to right center in the bottom of the fourth. Also tallying hits for the Lobos on the night were Howard, senior Chelsea Johnson, junior Monica Salas and junior Kasey Halleen. Chelsea Johnson, Howard and Halleen each drove in a pair of runs.
“It’s a deep decade rivalry with New Mexico State,” head coach Paula Congleton said. “I remember when I played here and the rivalry was just as intense. Our kids are working hard, they’ve got determination. We’re all new and it’s about changing the culture and that stuff takes time. We’ve got some things to work on but New Mexico State – they put a lot of runs on the board. They hit the ball hard and they’re a good team.”
NMSU threatened early in the top of the first inning. Main retired the first two batters on a ground out to second followed by a strikeout before loading the bases on a pair of hit batters and a bunted single. Second baseman Halleen turned another grounder to first for the third out of the inning to work out of trouble.
Despite the early scare, it was the Lobos who got on the board first in the bottom of the third inning. With one out, Day’Mian Johnson, who has seen action in just 11 games this season, was hit by a pitch to find herself on base. After a fly out to left field, sophomore Cameryn O’Grady was also hit by a pitch, putting a pair of Lobos on base.
O’Grady and Johnson advanced to scoring position on a wild pitch and Johnson crossed the plate when junior Sydney Townes singled up the middle, 1-0 Lobos.
NMSU broke the game open in the top of the fourth however, scoring four runs on three hits to take a 4-1 advantage. The first run scored on two outs after a Lobo infield miscommunication caused a routine pop up to drop in fair territory, scoring NMSU’s Jeanelle Medina and opening the flood gates. The next three straight batters scored.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Lobos were down but not out and put up a matching four-run inning to reclaim the lead. After leadoff hitter D’Andra DeFlora was hit by a pitch, Howard blasted her fourth homerun of the season to the right-field bleachers to make it a one-run game, 4-3 NMSU.
Salas singled to third base followed by back-to-back doubles from Day’Mian Johnson and Halleen. Halleen’s double went straight up the third-base line and bounced off the bag, flying into the air to score both Salas and Johnson and make it 5-4 Lobos.
The Aggies put the gamea out of reach, however, in the top of the sixth when they added seven runs on six hits and one Lobo error before UNM returned to the plate to attempt to rally from the new 11-5 deficit.
The bottom of the sixth opened with two straight Lobo strikeouts but UNM went on a two-out rally. Outstanding discipline in the batter’s box put three straight Lobos on base with walks before Chelsea Johnson sent a single down the left line to score O’Grady and Halleen from second and third, 11-7 NMSU.
UNM held the Aggies to just one in the top of the seventh, 12-7, but failed to overcome the five-run deficit in the bottom of the frame.
The Lobos are set to return to action for a Mountain West series on the road at Nevada in Reno. UNM will take on the Wolf Pack on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Due to impending weather, game times are fluctuating. Stay tuned to www.GoLobos.com for the latest as it becomes available.