LAS CRUCES, N.M. - The New Mexico State softball team split a non-conference doubleheader with Omaha Saturday at the Aggie Softball Complex.
GAME ONE | Omaha 7, New Mexico State 5 (8 inn.) | Box Score
All but two of game one's runs were scored in the first three innings, but at the end of the tilt it was Emma Dargy's two-run homer in the top of the eighth that proved to be the difference.
Omaha jumped out to a 5-0 lead after three. The Mavericks plated one each in innings one and two with RBI singles but put up a three-spot in the third to try and break things open. The visitors added an RBI single to hike their lead to 3-0 and back-to-back bases-loaded walks put the Aggies in a 5-0 hole.
In the home half of the inning, the Aggies hit the comeback trail. Nikki Butler's bases-loaded hit-by-pitch broke up the Mavericks' shutout bid and served as a rallying cry for the rest of the Aggies. Ramsay Lopez punched a two-run single to left before Matalasi Faapito tied the game with a two-run single of her own to center.
That score held until Dargy's long ball in the eighth.
Jenelle Medina generated two of the Aggies' eight hit in the setback and was the only NM State player to post a multi-hit game. Felicia De La Torre suffered the loss in the circle, working the last 5 2/3 innings and surrendering two runs on three hits and four walks.
GAME TWO | NM State 6, Omaha 5 | Box Score
Once again, the Aggies needed to come up with a comeback and this time they were up to the task.
Omaha jumped out to a 4-0 lead through three innings as the Mavs plated one in the first on an RBI single and one more in the second with an RBI double.
The visitors again relied on Dargy for a big hit, this time in the third. A two-run double put the Aggies at a 4-0 disadvantage.
Chloe Rivas busted up the Mavericks' shutout bid with an RBI single to center field in the fourth, but her hit in the sixth proved to be one of the biggest of the game. Rivas launched a three-run homer in the top of the sixth to tie things up at four runs apiece.
NM State tacked on one more when Medina reached on one of two Omaha errors. That allowed Casie Roberto to come around and score, pushing the Aggies in front 5-4.
The lead, however, was short-lived. Diana Murtha blasted a solo homer in the top of the seventh to tie things at five runs each, but the Aggies had what it took to come up with the win.
A hit-by-pitch, an error and a walk loaded the bases for Riley Carley with one out, and her fielder's choice ball to third drove in the game-winning run.
Faapito came out of the 'pen and tossed the last six innings to pick up the win.
NM State heads to El Paso next weekend for the UTEP Tournament. There, the Aggies will play IUPUI and Omaha two times each.
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