Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 LAS VEGAS, N.M. – The New Mexico Highlands softball team (4-5) opened up its home slate with a doubleheader sweep of Oklahoma Panhandle State (2-10) by scores of 8-2 and then 2-1 in the nightcap Wednesday (Feb. 15) at Brandt Park.
The story of the day may have been the Cowgirls' defense. Committing 20 errors in its first seven games of the season, Highlands had only one error in each contest against the Aggies.
"It was great to see us get out and play good defense today, head coach
Karin Gadberry said. "We really worked this past week to prepare for today and it paid off. Offensively, it was good to see Tori get going at the plate and Jessica continues to hit the ball well.
"Both Jacki and Jessica were able to come out and have good outings in the circle," Gadberry added.
The Cowgirls never trailed in the first game, using a strong second inning to get out of a jam defensively and then explode for a trio of unearned runs. In the top of the inning, the Aggies loaded the bases with one down. However, junior starting pitcher
Jessica Brink (1-2) walked the tightrope with a fly out then a strikeout on a full count pitch.
Getting out of the jam was a catalyst to Highlands scoring a trio of runs in the bottom of the second. With two down and a runner on first, junior
Tori Gil walked to push freshman
Katelyn Bates into scoring position. A fielding error loaded the bases. Sophomore
Aylissa Lujan plated the first run on an RBI single before another Aggies miscue, this time a liner that went off the third baseman's glove, scored two more runs.
Gil added a solo home run in the fourth and sophomore
Amber Cordero hit a three-run bomb to left center in the fifth as the Cowgirls went on to win 8-2.
Lujan and Brink both led Highlands with a pair of hits in four at-bats.
Over the final four innings, Brink allowed only one base hit and finished with only two runs on six hits over seven innings of work with four strikeouts. Samantha Arledge took the loss for Oklahoma Panhandle, allowing eight runs (only four earned) and eight hits while striking out nine in six innings of work.
The lone runs in the first game for the Aggies came in the top of the third. Anyssa Barbosa led off the inning with a double and was sacrificed to third. Rachel Thompson added an RBI single before Laura Trehal chased her home with an RBI double.
In contrast to the offensive explosion in game one, the second game was a nail-biter throughout as the Cowgirls rallied for the 2-1 win. In the top of the first, a leadoff double than an RBI single by Thompson proved to be the only run for the Aggies in the game.
Highlands caught two-out lightning in a bottle to take the 2-1 advantage in the bottom of the fifth. With no one on and two outs, Lujan legged out a bunt down the third base line. Redshirt freshman
Annie Reynolds followed with a double to left field to score Lujan to tie the game. Freshman
Alysia Cavone plated what would be the winning run with a single.
Junior
Jacquelyn Wood (3-1)
, who allowed only four hits and one earned run with a walk and strikeout in seven innings, allowed a base runner in both the sixth and seventh. However, the runner never advanced past first.
The Cowgirls return to action Saturday (Feb. 22) when it travels to Adams State for a quartet of contests against the Grizzlies. First pitch is scheduled for noon.
