SAN JOSE, Calif. — For the third game this week, The University of New Mexico softball team outhit its opponent, but failed to earn the victory as the Lobos suffered another 3-1 loss to the San José State Spartans on Sunday. The loss marks the first series sweep of the season over the Lobos.
UNM falls to 5-13 in Mountain West play, 12-35 overall, while SJSU is now 14-6 in league competition, 30-15 on the season.
Despite allowing just three hits on the day, sophomore Jensen Main takes the loss, allowing a pair of earned runs while striking out three batters.
Offensively, UNM outhit SJSU 4-3, led by junior Monica Salas who tallied the Lobos’ lone RBI. Other Lobos to hit include freshman Andrea Howard, junior Kasey Halleen, and freshman Taylor Jones.
Neither team registered a hit until the bottom of the third inning. Main walked the lead-off batter, but struck out the next one. SJSU’s Alyssa Avila then shot a single down the left line that advanced the lead-off to third to put runners on the corners. Avila moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and with two outs, Main walked another batter to load the bases.
A grounder to sophomore Cameryn O’Grady at shortstop followed and she made the tag at second to get the Lobos out of the dangerous inning.
SJSU earned the advantage, however, in the bottom of the third. Spartan pitcher Madison Aurin, the player that blasted Saturday’s walk-off homer, led off with a single for the second hit of the day, followed by a hard hit to left field by the designated player Jacey Phipps. The ball was sent hard down the left line, missed on a diving play in the outfield and rolled all the way back to the 220-foot fence.
Phipps plated Aurin and then scored for an inside-the-park homerun, 2-0 SJSU.
In the top of the fifth, junior Kasey Halleen doubled down the left line, but it wasn’t enough to get the Lobos on the board.
SJSU added a run to its lead in the bottom of the frame to make it 3-0. O’Grady looked for the routine play at first for the third out of the inning, allowing a runner from third to work her way toward the plate. The throw to Howard was just slightly off, pulling Howard off the base, allowing the run to count.
The Lobos got on the board in the top of the sixth however as UNM’s bats caught fire and the Lobos blasted a pair of hits. With one out, DeFlora reached first on a fielder’s choice, causing senior Chelsea Johnson, who had walked, to be out on the force at second, two outs.
DeFlora was followed by a deep single to center field by Howard, moving DeFlora to third.
In continuing the two-out rally, Salas sent a huge double that dropped in left to score DeFlora and advance Howard to third, but a groundout silenced the Lobo rally, 3-1 UNM.
SJSU’s Aurin earns the win in the circle after allowing four hits and just one run while striking out six.
UNM is back in action on Friday, May 4 through Sunday May 6 at Lobo Softball Field against San Diego State. The Lobos are set to celebrate senior day on Saturday, May 5.