LAS CRUCES - After a long 12 game road trip, the NM State Softball team was back in Las Cruces, where they took on conference foes Grand Canyon to get WAC play started. The last few weeks haven't necessarily been ideal for the Aggies. They came into the day winning just three of their previous nine games, taking losses to some tough competition, including losses to #5 Washington, #23 Arizona State, and UNLV. This was an excellent opportunity to bounce back, as they got to play in front of home fans for the first time in over two weeks. It wasn't going to be easy, though, as they had GCU in town entering the day with a 17-7 record. The game was set up to be a good one, and those that tuned it got one heck of a game filled with lots of offense, extra innings, and one exciting finish. This is how it all went down:
FIRST INNING
Felicia De La Torre was in the circle first for the Aggies. It only took ten pitches and three walks before Kathy Rodolph had seen enough and took De La Torre out of the game. Jordin King took over for Del La Torre in the circle, leaving her in a tough bases loaded situation with no outs. King walked the first batter she faced giving GCU the first run of the game. The next batter hit a sac-fly to right field, giving the Lopes their second run the day before recording a hit. After that run, King looked to settle in as she limited the damage escaping the inning, only allowing the two runs.
The Aggies were able to strike back quickly, recoding two runs of their own after Ramsay Lopez walked to leadoff the inning, and Kayla Bowen later drove her in when she hit a two-run home run to left-center, tying the ball game at two. This was Bowen's third home run of the season, 21st of her career. This also gave her 18 RBIs on the season, moving her up to second on the team only behind Maya Martinez.
SECOND INNING
After the rocky first inning that Aggies pitching had, the second inning went with a lot more ease despite King giving up a single to the second batter. The Lopes failed to drive in the run, and the score remained 2-2.
The Aggies were able to add another run in the bottom half of the inning after Melika Ofoia launched her first career home run into right-field. When asked about the home run after the game, Ofoia said she "knew right away" that the ball would go over the fence.
THIRD INNING
King was able to keep the Lopes off the scoreboard for another inning. GCU was able to get two runners on base. However, they were unsuccessful in advancing them as King was able to get out of the jam after Aguilar flew out to center.
The Aggie bats came alive in the third inning when they added three more runs to the scoreboard. It started when Ramsay Lopez hit a leadoff double down the right-field line setting up Jillian Taylor to drive her in immediately after with a double of her own. After a GCU pitching change, Maya Martinez and Kayla Bowen got on base via the walk, which loaded the bases with no outs. Paige Knight was now set up perfectly to do some damage and add to the lead, and that's exactly what she did when she singled to left driving in Martinez and Bowen, making the score 6-2, Aggies.
FOURTH INNING
Despite all the momentum being in the Aggies favor, GCU was not going to quit and was able to put up a 3 spot of their own in the fourth. The leadoff hitter got on base after being hit by the pitch and later scored after Barnes doubled into right-center and then advanced to third on the throw home. The next hitter, Nicoletti, then brought in Barnes when she singled to left field, bringing in the second run of the inning for the Lopes. Dunckel added the third and final run of the inning when she homered to left field, making the score 6-5 still in favor of the Aggies.
SIXTH INNING
After a quiet fifth, the Lopes were back to work with another leadoff double, followed by a walk and a sac-bunt; GCU had two runners in scoring position and only one out. The next batter was able to drive in a run after hitting a lazy fly ball to left, bringing in the tying run from third, marking the score 6-6.
However, It didn't take long for the Aggie lineup to answer back. Ramsey Lopez recorded her 19th hit of the year after singling to right field. Jillian Taylor was then hit by a pitch advancing Lopez to second. Maya Martinez recorded her team-leading 20th RBI by singling up the middle and driving Lopez in from second. The Aggies now led 7-6.
SEVENTH INNING
Needing just 3 outs to put this game away, Jordan King returned to the circle looking to give the Aggies the first win of this 3 game set. However, this GCU lineup would not go down without a fight. After striking out the leadoff hitter, King gave up a double to the second batter, Koeltzow, who was able to advance to third on a wild pitch and then later scored on another wild pitch retying the game at seven.
Headed into the bottom of the inning, the Aggie bats would have to be the ones to put this game away. They started the inning strong Madison Muxen and Malika Ofoia got it going with two leadoff singles. This was Ofoia's third hit marking a career-high for hits in a single game. With two runners on and one out, Hailey Tanori reached base on a fielder's choice, loading the bases and setting up the Aggies perfectly to end this game. In the end, no runners were able to cross after a strikeout and an incredible play by the GCU third baseman to get in front of a line drive by Jillian Taylor and then tag the bag before the pinch-runner, Jaelah Burrell, could reach the base keeping the score tied at seven.
EIGHTH INNING
Head coach Kathy Rodolph decided to go with her freshman in the circle after the rough start by De La Torre in the first, and she stuck by her until the end. Jordan King was back in the circle for her eighth inning of work and was able to sit down the Lopes in order to give her offense another chance to send the Aggies home with a win.
The first two Aggies were sat down quickly in the bottom of the inning. Kathy Rodolph went with the sophomore transfer from Oklahoma, Paige Knight, with the hopes she can at the very least get on base and give someone else a chance to end this game. Rodolph got her wish as Knight reached on a five-pitch walk bringing Riley Carley up to the plate with two outs and a runner on first. On the fourth pitch of the at-bat, Carley would hit what seemed to be a routine ground ball to the shortstop should have ended the inning sending us to the ninth, but it somehow got through the legs of the shortstop and rolled into left-center, sending Knight off to the races. An aggressive send by the Aggie third base coach set up a play at the plate, but the throw was late, and Knight was in there safely, giving the Aggies the walk-off victory. Final score, 8-7.
ON DECK
The Aggies and Lopes return to action tomorrow when they face each other for the second and third game of this three-game set. Game one is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. (MT), with game two to start shortly after the finish of game one. For updates and exclusive content throughout the season, follow the Aggies on Twitter (@NMStateSoftball), Instagram (@nmstatesoftball), and like us on Facebook (NM State Softball).
