SAN JOSE, Calif. — The University of New Mexico softball team led 1-0 on Saturday through the top of the seventh inning, but a two-run homerun with one out in the bottom of the seventh was enough for a walk-off victory for San José State, 2-1. The Lobos outhit the Spartans 7-3.
Senior Krissy Fortner pitched her first complete game of the season, allowing just three hits and two runs, only one of which was earned. She registered just 81 pitches on the day, 51 were strikes.
With the loss, UNM falls to 12-34 on the season, 5-12 in the Mountain West, while SJSU is now 29-15 overall, 13-6 MW.
The Lobos got on the board in the top of the fourth as senior Chelsea Johnson sent a one-out single through the left side to reach base. She was followed immediately by a well-laid bunt by freshman Andrea Howard, who reached base to put two runners on.
Junior D’Andra DeFlora sent a bomb to the warning track, which was caught, but she advanced Johnson and Howard to scoring position with two outs. Junior Monica Salas then stepped to the plate and sent a shot up the middle to score Johnson and give the Lobos a 1-0 lead. Howard nearly scored on the play as well, but was called out at home on the tag.
Fortner was lights-out in the bottom of the fifth, retiring three straight batters for the fourth time in the game. She did it again in the sixth before SJSU took the win in the seventh.
In the bottom of the seventh with the Lobos still leading 1-0, SJSU’s lead-off batter, Brittany Abacherli, reached base on a Lobo infield error. A groundout advanced Abacherli to second before SJSU junior Madison Aurin hit her 10th homerun of the season to drive in two runs and claim the win for the Spartans on their senior day.
Fortner falls to 3-7 on the season while SJSU’s Caroline Bowman improved to 14-2. She allowed seven hits while striking out six batters. The Lobos left five runners on base compared to just one for SJSU.
UNM will resume the series on Sunday at 12 p.m. PT (1 p.m. MT) as the Lobos play the final game of the series.