Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 TEMPE, Ariz. - After a Tuesday doubleheader drubbing of in-state rival University of New Mexico, the NM State softball team traveled to the Grand Canyon State to partake in the Sun Devil Classic, hosted by Arizona State University. The Aggies opened the day on Friday with an 11-7 win over Ball State, dropping a 10-0 decision to #23 Arizona State in five innings.
 
Game One | NM State 11, Ball State 7
Laurali Patane (2-3) started in the circle for the Aggies, putting in 3.1 innings of work, allowing just three hits and two earned runs along with three strikeouts.
Deborah Jones (1-4) got the start for the Cardinals, pitching 5.0 innings allowing 11 runs on 11 hits with three strikeouts.  
 
FIRST INNING
Patane started the game off with a three-pitch strikeout before a solo shot by Hensley put the Cardinals up 1-0. After the score, two easy groundouts to Ramsay Lopez ended the top half. In the bottom of the first, a pair of walks and a single by Jillian Taylor loaded the bases for Kayla Bowen who drew another walk, advancing Lopez home and tying the game 1-1.
 
Paige Knight followed up with a sac fly to left field, allowing Taylor to tag up and score from third and put NM State on top 2-1. Gabby Aragon was next in the lineup, hitting a hard single up the middle, easily scoring Maya Martinez from third and extending the Crimson & White lead 3-1.
 
The Aggies then put run number four on the board as Kayla Bowen came home from third thanks to a passed ball, giving the Aggies an early 4-1 lead.
 
SECOND INNING
Patane made quick work of the top half of the second inning as she faced just three batters, threw 11 pitches, and achieved the Aggies' third out when she struck out Hannah Dukeman.
 
After a four-run first inning, the Aggie batters continued to do damage in the second. Tanori gave the Aggies an early-inning baserunner as she reached first via an error. After stealing second, Tanori came around to touch home plate to put the Aggies ahead 5-1. Later in the inning, a Jillian Taylor single up the middle brought across the speedy Savannah Bejarano after she came in to pinch run for Ramsay Lopez. Kayla Bowen then put the ball in play with one out and was able to bring in Taylor for the final run of the inning and allowing NM State to take a 7-1 advantage into the third.
 
THIRD INNING
Ball State began to inch its way back into the game in the third inning as they posted a run after Kayla Lissy doubled and then eventually came across after a wild pitch.
 
The Aggies also posted their first three-up, three-down inning in the bottom of the third to finish the inning ahead by five runs.
 
FOURTH INNING
In the top of the inning, the Cardinals continued to build off their momentum from the previous inning as they scored three runs to draw within one run of the Aggies. All three Ball State runs came across on one swing of the bat as McKayla Timmons hit a two-out, three-run home run to right field.
 
The first pair of batters singled to threaten early in the bottom half the inning, however, the next three Aggie hitters were unable to reach base as NM State concluded its second-straight inning without scoring any runs.
 
FIFTH INNING
The Aggies still walked out into the field in the top of the fifth with a two-run lead. However, Ball State reduced its deficit to one run when Emma Richards brought across Kaitlyn Gibson to score its sixth run of the day.
 
NM State then had three batters reach base in the bottom half of the inning but was unable to bring anyone all the way around – leaving the Aggies with a 7-6 advantage entering the sixth.
 
SIXTH INNING
Ball State was able to complete the comeback in the top of the sixth as they scored one more to even the score at seven. The Cardinals did so via a Timmons double to bring across Lissy to score.
 
With the top of the lineup due up for the Aggies, the sixth inning seemed to be a great spot for the Aggies to break the tie. NM State did just that as Maya Martinez brought across the first Aggie run of the inning after Ramsay Lopez and Jillian Taylor each hit singles to put runners on first and second. Kayla Bowen then doubled to left center to score both Martinez and Taylor and stretch the Aggie lead to three runs. The Aggies' next batter, Paige Knight, also singled to center to score Bowen from second.
 
The four-run sixth inning allowed the Aggies to head into the final inning with a four-run cushion.
 
SEVENTH INNING
After coming in to relieve Patane, De La Torre was able to put away three of the next four batters to close out the game and help the Aggies earn their third-straight victory.
 
Game Two | NM State 0, #23 Arizona State 10 (5)
 
Felicia De La Torre (2-7) got the start in game two, going 4.0 innings allowing 10 runs while recording three strikeouts.
Marissa Schuld (4-2) started in the circle for the Sun Devils, going 4.0 scoreless innings, allowing three hits, and recording six strikeouts.
 
FIRST INNING
Ramsay Lopez started the game with a leadoff single, moving over to second on a Jillian Taylor sac bunt. Arizona State returned the favor, leading off the bottom half of the first with a double to left field. A wild pitch by Felicia De La Torre moved Alynah Torres over to third, before a Yannira Acuna single brought her home and gave Arizona State an early 1-0 lead. A double by the Sun Devils put two on with one out, before a single to right field scored their second run of the afternoon.
 
SECOND INNING
A pair of outs to start the inning put Jayleen Burton up to bat, who reached base safely but was called out for box interference, ending the inning. A leadoff walk put one on the basepaths before Felicia De La Torre recorded her first strikeout of the afternoon.
 
A deep single to left field scored the runner from second, giving the Sun Devils a 3-0 advantage. A two-run homer to right field by Acuna and a solo shot to the opposite field put Arizona State up 6-0.
 
THIRD INNING
The Aggies went three up, three down for the second time, keeping the deficit at six.
 
Arizona State started the home half of the inning with a leadoff walk by Jazmyn Rollins, before a pair of flyouts put two away for ASU. Rollins advanced to second on a wild pitch, before stealing third. A flyout to left field ended the inning with the score remaining 6-0.
 
FOURTH INNING
Jillian Taylor launched a single up the middle for the second NM State hit of the game, before Maya Martinez hit a single to left field advancing Taylor to third. Savannah Bejarano came in to pinch run for Martinez, before Kayla Bowen reached on a fielder's choice, making Bejarano the first out of the inning. Carley and Paige Knight struck out to end the inning.
 
Torres recorded a single to centerfield for the Sun Devils, before Acuna walked putting two on the bases. Cydney Sanders hit a single to load the bases before recording their first out. A grand slam put ASU up 10-0. Back-to-back strikeouts by De La Torre put two away before a flyout to left field ended the fourth.
 
FIFTH INNING
Jayleen Burton grounded out to the shortstop to start the top of the fifth before a pair of strikeouts ended the inning and the game.
 
UP NEXT
NM State returns to action Saturday with another pair of games, taking on Rutgers at noon MT before another matchup with Arizona State slated for 5 p.m. MT. For updates and exclusive content throughout the season, follow the Aggies on Twitter (@NMStateSoftball), Instagram (@nmstatesoftball) and like us on Facebook (NM State Softball).