Box Score LAS VEGAS, N.M. – Only playing one game to due to weather, the New Mexico Softball team (5-11, 1-6 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) fell to Regis (6-11, 5-2) 15-14 in eight innings Sunday afternoon (March 2).
The game did not start out as a slugfest as neither team scored in the first two innings. Regis answered first with an unearned run in the top of the third, but Highlands went out in front with a pair of unearned runs on RBI doubles by junior
Jessica Brink and freshman
Katelyn Bates in the bottom of the third.
The Rangers scored three runs in the top of the fourth to go up 4-2, but a wild bottom of the fourth saw Highlands take a 9-4 advantage. Sophomore
Amber Cordero began the inning when she reached on an error while senior
Dominique Padilla put the tying runs in scoring position with a double. Another error loaded the bases with no outs before the bases were cleared on an RBI triple by redshirt freshman
Annie Reynolds. Two walks reloaded the bases with no outs in the frame for the second time. After a strikeout, Bates put the Cowgirls up 9-4 with a grand slam to left field.
Highlands scored seven runs in the fourth on only three hits.
Regis scored four runs in both the fifth and sixth to push its tally to 12, but sophomore
Dekota Monarrez had a two-out, RBI single in the bottom of the fifth as the Cowgirls trailed 12-10 heading to the seventh.
Facing elimination down with two down and no one on in the bottom of the eighth, it was two-out magic that elongated the contest for the second-straight game. Junior
Jacquelyn Wood placed a bloop hit in short right field and heads up base-running on the slow play by the Rangers put her on second. Monarrez, the league leader in home runs, blasted the 2-0 pitch to right center to tie the game. A strikeout sent the game to extra innings.
New Mexico Highlands let up three runs in the top of the eighth, but the Cowgirls comeback fell short in the bottom of the inning. Bates led off the bottom of the eighth with a solo shot to left center. With one out, Cordero joined the home run parade with a home run to left center. Padilla singled to bring the tying run to the plate, but a lineout ended the marathon game.
Bates and Padilla both had three hits on the day while Bates drove in six runs and had two runs scored. Brink got the no decision for the Cowgirls, pitching seven runs and giving up 16 hits and 12 runs. However, only two of the runs were earned. Bates, who pitched the eighth, fell to 0-3 in the circle this season as she let up four hits and three runs in the eighth.
Both teams finished the game with everyone in the lineup recording a hit.
Regis took advantage of three big innings that scored 11 of its 15 runs. Down 9-4 heading to the fifth, the visitors got the long ball going. After Keala Berulfo reached on an error, Sam Talmich homered to left field. Nicole Hull added a solo shot and Carlie Sexton added a two-out, RBI single.
In the bottom of the sixth with two outs and no one on, a pair reached based on errors before Hull drove them in with a double. Pinch hitter Rachel Illias and Sexton added two-out, RBI singles.
In the eighth, Sexton and Taylor Wilcox had RBI singles while Alyssa Finger added an RBI groundout.
Sexton had a single in all five at-bats with three runs scored and an RBI. Britney Lee (2-7) got the win for the Rangers, allowing eight hits and seven runs in four innings of work. Rachelle Knudson recorded the first save of the year for the Rangers, allowing a solo home run and a double in the eighth inning.
The Cowgirls return to action next weekend when it takes part in the first of three RMAC pods. Highlands will take on Colorado Christian and Metro State in single games Saturday and Sunday.
