LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Despite a hopeful comeback, the UT Arlington softball team fell just short in the series finale at NM State Saturday with a final score of 6-5.
What would have been the third-straight comeback win for the Mavericks, UTA went neck and neck with the Aggies, ultimately ending in NMSU's favor. Head coach
Kara Dill and company moves on to an overall record of 19-24 and an even 9-9 in WAC play.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE: at NM State (L, 6-5)
Freshman
Marley Neises paced the Mavericks' bats going 2-4 at the plate with her sixth home run of the season.
Reagan Hukill (1-2),
Morgan Westbrook (1-3, 2 RBI),
Meagan Smith (1-3, 1 RBI),
Zaia Castruita (1-3) and
Jadyn Erickson (1-1) all played a part in UTA's eight-hit total.
Senior
Lindsey Franklin belted her seventh home run of the season, knocking in her 20th RBI. Over the course of the series, Franklin came away with a pair of long balls.
Junior
Gracie Bumpurs got the start on the mound for UTA as she went on to throw 5.1 innings allowing five earned runs off 10 hits.
Sophomore
Jessica Adams came in to face just three batters, giving up just one hit. Unfortunately, the Mavericks' offense couldn't quite answer back, giving Bumpurs the loss.
PLAY BY PLAY: at NM State (L, 6-5)
- Neises got UTA on the board early with one in the top of the first as she smacked her sixth home run of the season.
- After back-to-back singles from NM State's lineup, a three-run home run from Kayla Bowen lifted the Aggies to a 3-1 lead.
- The Aggies went on to plate an additional run off a UTA throwing error which made it a 4-1 game in the bottom of the fourth.
- Pinch-hitter Erickson led off the fifth with an infield single before a walk from Hukill placed runners on first and second for UTA. Neises loaded them bases with a bunt single before Westbrook knocked in Erickson with a sacrifice fly. The Mavericks made it a one-run game after an RBI-ground out from Smith.
- Bowen tabbed her second home run of the game – this time a two-run home run – that extended NM State's lead to 6-3 in the bottom of the fifth.
- Franklin was responsible for UTA's fourth run of the game after belting her seventh home run of the season, cutting the deficit down to two heading into the bottom of the sixth.
- UTA couldn't quite get anything going in its last ups, falling to the Aggies in the series finale 6-5.
ON DECK
The Mavericks will close out regular season action with back-to-back weekends at Allan Saxe Field, starting with a three-game series against Tarleton beginning Friday, April 28.
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