EL PASO, Texas – Sophomore
Kayla Bowen tied a school record with eight RBI and the New Mexico State softball team won its third run-rule of the weekend, 16-5 over IUPUI in five innings at the Helen of Troy Softball Complex in El Paso.
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Hope Banales started the game with a single before
Nikki Butler smashed a two-run home run to give NM State (9-3, 0-0 WAC) a 2-0 lead. That was Butler's sixth home run of the season. The Aggies scratched across one more run in the first on an error from the Jags to lead 3-0.
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After
Matalasi Faapito held IUPUI scoreless in the first and second innings, the Aggie bats came through in the top of the third. With three runners on base, Bowen crushed a grand slam to push the lead to 7-0. However, the Jags went off for five runs in the bottom half and New Mexico State led 7-5 through three.
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Then, Bowen came through again, hitting an RBI single while a run also scored on an error for a 9-5 lead.
Felicia De La Torre held the Jags scoreless in the home half of the third before the Aggies blew the doors off in the top of the fifth.
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Banales got the runs pouring in with a one-run single before Butler notched a one-run single of her own. NM State scratched another run across on an error followed by Bowen's second homer of the day, a three-run jack to make it 15-5. Then,
Shelby Shultes capped the offensive onslaught with her second dinger of the season for a 16-5 final.
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Bowen finished 3-4 with two home runs and eight RBI. Banales, a freshman, continued her torrid streak, finishing 3-4 on the day. As a team, the Aggies finished with 14 hits and no errors while freshman
Felicia De La Torre picked up her first-career win.
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NM State now readies for the Boyd Gaming Classic in Las Vegas, Nev., where it will compete from Feb. 28-March 1.
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