Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Tempe, AZ - NM State returned to action at Alberta B. Farrington Softball Stadium for day two of the Sun Devil Classic, hosted by Arizona State University. The Crimson & White opening Saturday with an 11-7 loss to Rutgers, before dropping a 8-0 decision to #23 Arizona State in five innings, their second game and loss to ASU in the past two days.
 
Game One | NM State 11, Rutgers 7
 
Jordin King (2-3) earned the start for the Aggies, putting in 1.1 innings of work, allowing three hits and one earned run.

Rutgers ace Jaden Vickers (10-2) got the start for the Cardinals, pitching a complete game while allowing six earned runs on 11 hits with five strikeouts.  
 
FIRST INNING
Maya Martinez recorded the first Aggie hit of the day with a single from the three spot. However, she was the only Aggie to reach base in the first inning.
 
Rutgers scored the first run of the contest in the bottom half of the first inning as Taylor Fawcett doubled to center field to bring home Gabrielle Callaway. Rutgers would score another in the first inning to carry a 2-0 lead into the second inning.
 
SECOND INNING
Following a 12-pitch at-bat that featured nine fouls, Paige Knight battled her way to a single in the second to give NM State its second base runner of the day. Similar to the first, though, she would be the only Aggie to find success in the inning.
 
Rutgers threatened once again in the second when they had runners on second and third with one out gone. Lauarali Patane then came in and forced Lawson into a double play to get the Aggies out of the inning.
 
THIRD INNING
The Scarlet Knights continued to do damage from the plate in the third as Payton Lincavage hit a two-run shot to left field to give Rutgers a 4-0 lead. Another hit in the bottom half would extend the lead to seven runs when Sand hit a double with the bases loaded to score a trio of Scarlet Knights.
 
FOURTH INNING
The inning opened with a double to left field from Maya Martinez to immediately put an Aggie in scoring position. Kayla Bowen then made the most of that opportunity with a double of her own to bring Martinez in to score the Aggies' first run of the day.
 
Two batters later the Aggie total would jump from one to four as Paige Knight crushed her second home run of the season to score three Aggie runs and reduce the deficit to just three. Later, Hannah Lindsay stepped up to the plate and put the bat to the ball on the first pitch of the at-bat to hit her first home run of the season and set the score at 7-5 after entering the inning down seven runs.
 
Rutgers would respond in the bottom half of the inning as Fawcett hit a two-run home run to push the lead back out to four runs. They would later add one more run to finish the inning ahead 10-5.
 
SIXTH INNING
Rutgers would tally one more run in the sixth to extend its lead to six runs and threatened to earn the run-rule victory. However, the Aggies would earn the third out to strand a pair of Scarlet Knight runners.
 
SEVENTH INNING
In a last-ditch effort, Maya Martinez would record her third hit of the day to allow Jillian Taylor to score from second on a single. Martinez would then come in to touch home plate herself as Rutgers recorded its first error of the day in an effort to get the third out. Despite a pair of runs in the last innings, the Aggies' late push would come up short.
 
 
Game Two | NM State 0 #23 Arizona State 8
 
Jordin King (2-4) came back out to start game two, going 3.2 innings allowing four earned runs while picking up three strikeouts.

Mac Morgan (9-1) started in the circle for the Sun Devils, pitching 6.0 shutout innings, allowing just four hits, and racking up three strikeouts.
 
FIRST INNING
Ramsay Lopez started the game with a leadoff double, making her way to third on a Jillian Taylor sac bunt. Lopez would be the only Aggie to reach base in the first.
 
Arizona State led off the bottom half of the first with an infield single by Alynah Torres. A pair of walks loaded the bases before Kayla Bowen was moved over from first base to the circle. Jillian Taylor made a spectacular diving effort to catch a deep flyball to center field, quickly bouncing back up and throwing down to third for the double play, but Torres scored to give ASU a 1-0 lead. An errant pitch by Bowen got past Melika Ofoia, scoring a second run.
 
SECOND INNING
The Sun Devils extended their lead in the bottom half of the inning, using an RBI double and a two-run homer to left field by Cydney Sanders to extend the ASU lead 5-0. Jordin King recorded her first strikeout of the game, freezing the batter and ending the inning.
 
 
THIRD INNING
Neither offense could get much going in the third, Jillian Taylor drew a walk and was the only NM State batter to reach base, while the Sun Devils hit into two quick outs before a single for their only baserunner of the inning.
 
FOURTH INNING
Jordin King made quick work of the Sun Devils in the bottom of the fourth, needing only five pitches to escape the inning unscathed. King allowed a double on a 2-0 count sandwiched between a trio of first pitch outs, making it two straight scoreless innings for Arizona State.
 
FIFTH INNING
Madison Muxen recorded her first hit of the evening off an infield single, but the Aggies couldn't bring her across to score. A fielding error by the Aggie outfield and a hit by pitch put runners on first and second, before a wild pitch put the runners on second and third. A sac fly by Jessica Puk put the Sun Devils ahead 6-0. Kayla Bowen came into the game, ending Jordin Kings night. An infield single and a hit by pitch loaded the bases before Felicia De La Torre came into the game to relieve Bowen. De La Torre and Arizona State's Sarah Sanders battled to a full count with numerous foul balls, but the Aggie pitcher came out on top, ending the inning with a flyout to shallow left field.
 
SIXTH INNING
Jillian Taylor started the sixth with a leadoff single through the left side, before Maya Martinez grounded into a fielder's choice, taking Taylor off the board. Savannah Bejarano came in to pinch run for Martinez, the move paying off when Bejarano beat the throw to second off a Kayla Bowen grounder to the third baseman. A double play ended the inning for the Crimson & White. The Sun Devils' Jazmine Hill hit a solo shot to centerfield to end the game.
 
 
UP NEXT
NM State returns Sunday, closing out their time at the Sun Devil Classic with a game against Rutgers at 11:00 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).

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