After a Friday snowstorm postponed the University of New Mexico softball team’s series opener against Colorado State, the Lobos had to wait until Saturday’s doubleheader to get their first crack at that Rams.
The Lobos were able to take the first game 5-3 in ten innings before the Rams answered back with an 8-0 victory in six innings.
Game one
Jensen Main got the start in the circle for the Lobos in game one, facing off against Colorado State ace Bridgette Hutton.
CSU opened the scoring in the top of the first, thanks to a bases loaded walk issued to Danni Klein that scored Lauren Buchanan from third to give the Rams a 1-0 lead.
The Lobos were able to answer back in the third inning, as a Chelsea Johnson single drove Sydney Broderick home from third, tying the game at one. Broderick had led off the inning with a single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Aleyah Wilbon and was standing on third thanks to a flyout from Cameryn O’Grady.
Colorado State retook the lead in the fifth inning, and chased Main from the game in the process. Haley Donaldson doubled to lead off the inning, and Corina Gamboa drove her in with a single. Gamboa advanced to second on the throw, and was replaced with pinch runner Jordan Acosta. Amber Nelson followed up with a single to center field that scored Acosta, a run that was aided by a throwing error by D’Andra DeFlora in center field, giving the Rams a 3-1 lead. Krissy Fortner came on in relief and was able to work out of a bases loaded jam.
With their backs against the wall, the Lobos scored two in the top of the seventh. Kasey Halleen got the rally started with a single and advanced to second when Wilbon walked behind her. An O’Grady double down the line tied the game at three and forced extra innings.
In the tenth, the Lobos rally started with a Sydney Townes single. Johnson followed with a double to right center to bring Townes around to score and give the Lobos a 4-3 lead. A two out single for Andrea Howard moved Johnson to third, and a single from Monica Salas brought Johnson home to push the lead to 5-3.
In the bottom half of the inning, Fortner was able to strand two to secure the win. In all, Fortner pitched six innings, allowing three hits and no runs while walking four and striking out seven.
Game two
In game two, Alexis Ruel got the start for the Lobos in the circle against Alison Petty for the Rams.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
Petty was able to quiet the Lobos bats, only giving up three hits in six innings and didn’t allow a single run. The Lobos offense primarily came in the form of the five walks issued by Petty.
The Rams offense wasted no time getting started, scoring two in the first. Haley Donaldson singled, and thanks to a throwing error by Townes in right, advanced all the way to third as Muzik came around to score.
The Lobos got their first hit in the top of the second on a leadoff single, but Petty retired the next three in order to end the threat. In the bottom half of the inning, Hannah McCorkhill drove in another run on a single with one out.
The top of the third saw the Lobos load the bases on a trio of walks, but Wilbon left early on a flyout from Johnson that otherwise would have scored a run, and as a result was called out to give the Rams a double play that ended the inning.
Amber Nelson added a home run in the bottom half of the inning to give CSU a 4-0 lead.
In the top of the fifth, the Lobos were able to get two more baserunners, as Salas singled and O’Grady walked, but once again Petty was able to work out of the jam with strikeout of Townes.
The Rams added three more runs in the fifth to push the lead to seven runs and set up the potential of the mercy rule. In the sixth, the Lobos recorded two more bases runners, but it was more of the same for New Mexico as they failed to push either runner across as Lauren Wilmert popped out and Halleen struck out to end the inning.
In the bottom of the sixth with two outs, Donaldson hit a double to right center to drive in Nicole Valdez to initiate the eight-run rule and end the game — giving the Rams an 8-0 shutout victory.
The rubber match is scheduled to take place on Sunday, April 8 at noon to see which squad is able to walk away with the series win.
Cameron Goeldner is a sports beat reporter and photographer for the Daily Lobo. He primarily covers men’s soccer and softball, but also contributes content for baseball, basketball, football and track and field. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @goeldfinger.
