The New Mexico State Softball Campaign hosted the Utah Valley Wolverines this past weekend which featured a Friday night matchup and a double header on Saturday. NM State took game one and game three off the series to earn their first weekend series win of the season. 

Game one of the series was led by freshman pitcher Jordin King, who threw her second complete game of the season. Utah Valley struck first, scoring two quick runs from a double off the bat of Jaeden Barajas to put the Wolverines up early. In the third inning, Barajas’ name was called again, this time she crossed home plate to give the away side a 4-0 lead.  

The Aggies would answer with a pair of home runs in the bottom of the fourth, first by senior Kayla Bowen who smashed her fifth home run of the season and a batter later by Riley Carley, who recorded her fifth home run of the campaign. With the lead cut in half, Utah Valley was able to score in the top of the fifth off a fielding error by NM State to make it a 5-2 ballgame.  

In the bottom half of the sixth inning the Aggies recorded five hits: a double by Gabby Aragon and Kayla Bowen, singles by Madison Muxen, Paige Knight and Jillian Taylor. NMSU would score four runs to complete the comeback against the Wolverines to give them a 6-5 game one victory.  

Setting the tone for a high scoring game one of the double header Saturday, this Crimson Squad came out swinging scoring three runs from three hits to open the game. Utah Valley would mirror the Aggies scoring three runs from three hits in the top of the second inning to make it a 3-3 game. After being walked, Ramsay Lopez stood on first as she watched Jillian Taylor knock in her fourth home run of the season to give NMSU a 5-3 lead. The Wolverines opened their lead in the top of the fourth scoring eight runs, highlighted by a two-shot home run off the bat of Mikaela Thomson which gave Utah Valley an 11-5 lead heading into the bottom of the fourth inning.  

To open the sixth inning, the away side knocked in three RBI doubles while scoring six runs to take the commanding 17-7 lead. Trying to answer the plethora of runs, Kayla Bowen recorded her sixth homer of the year to cut into the lead. Three consecutive doubles later it was Hannah Lindsay’s turn to hit her third home run of the season, scoring Gabby Aragon who stood on second following her RBI double. In the bottom of the seventh Arizona native Riley Carley would hit her sixth homer of the campaign, but it was not enough to match the Wolverines as Utah Valley snatched a 18-14 game two victory. 

Making her second start of the weekend, Jordin King pitched for a consecutive complete game, giving her fifth win of the season. Utah Valley started the finale the scoring early as they scored two runs off of a two RBI double and a pair of singles. The Aggies added a run of their own after hitting three singles with an RBI for Kayla Bowen who scored Jillian Taylor as she stood on second after stealing first base. Doubling their total in the first inning Utah Valley scored two more runs off a two RBI double by senior Linnah Rebolledo to take an early 4-1 lead.  

Albuquerque native Ramsay Lopez opened the bottom of the third inning with a solo shot to start the comeback for NMSU. Jillian Taylor then touched all the bags after being hit by a pitch before eventually reaching home plate off a wild pitch. The scoring continued as Kayla Bowen knocked in her seventh home run of the season. Mimicking her teammates, Gabby Aragon recorded her third career home run to put the Aggies ahead 5-4.  

After Utah Valley homered in fifth and scored off a wild pitch in the top half of the sixth, the game was tied headed into the bottom half of the sixth. A homer by both Hannah Lindsay and Ramsay Lopez plus a pair of doubles by Kristen Boyd and Madison Muxen were what the Aggies needed to edge to six runs to hold a commanding 12-6 lead. Wolverine Megan Gibbs homered in a final attempt for Utah Valley in the seventh, an effort proving too late as it concluded the 12-7 victory for the home squad.  

NM State will continue their conference play as they host Seattle U Friday at 6 p.m. and hold another double header on Saturday with game one starting at 4 p.m. and game two starting 30 minutes following the conclusion of game one.