FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Despite registering 10 hits on the afternoon, The University of New Mexico softball team was overcome in five innings by the Colorado State Rams by a final score of 12-4. Both teams tallied 10 hits, the fifth-highest for UNM this season, while seven different Lobos belted hits for UNM.
With the loss, UNM falls to 11-28, 4-8 MW, while Colorado State improves to 21-11, 4-5 MW.
Sophomore Jensen Main pitched all 4.0 innings and takes the loss for the Lobos. She falls to 5-13 on the season.
Leading UNM offensively was senior Chelsea Johnson who went 2-for-3 on the day, including a solo homer, scoring one run for one RBI. Other Lobos that smacked two hits include juniors D’Andra DeFlora and Monica Salas.
The Rams got out to a quick 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first on four hits, including a two-run homer over the left-center field fence by CSU shortstop Haley Donaldson.
In the bottom of the second, Colorado State added five more runs on a pair of hits and a Lobo error to put the Lobos in an early 9-0 hole, but UNM responded in the top of the third.
The first Lobo in the top of the third went down swinging, but Johnson got the Lobo bats fired up with a solo homer over the left-field fence, 9-1 CSU. She was the first in a string of four straight hits for UNM.
DeFlora followed Johnson with a single to short to reach base and advanced to second on a single to left field off the bat of freshman Andrea Howard. Salas also singled to left to load the bases with just one out.
Junior Kasey Halleen stepped to the plate and put the ball in play, scoring DeFlora on a fielder’s choice for an RBI before Howard was called out at third on a force, 9-2 CSU. A strikeout ended the inning and the Lobos went back to the field.
UNM held the Rams in the bottom of the third and continued to string hits together in the top of the fourth.
After a lead-off groundout, sophomore Cameryn O’Grady and junior Sydney Townes tallied back-to-back singles to put two on base with just one out. CSU swapped starting pitcher Bridgette Hutton, who pitched game one vs UNM on Saturday, for fresh pitcher Kaylynn Pierce.
Johnson singled to load the bases again followed by a DeFlora single through the left side to score O’Grady, 9-3 CSU.
UNM cut the deficit to just five when Howard scored Townes on a sacrifice fly to left, 9-4 Rams.
The Rams piled on three more runs in the bottom of the fourth to get back out to an eight-run lead, 12-4, before retiring three straight Lobos in the top of the fifth to end the game.
The Lobos are set to return to action on Monday, April 16 when they travel for a one-game stint at UTEP.