LAS CRUCES, N.M. – New Mexico State softball faced Minnesota in a doubleheader at the NM State Softball Complex on Saturday. The Aggies fell 7-0 and 15-5 to the Gophers to close out the three-game series.

"Minnesota is a very solid team," head coach Kathy Rodolph said. "We have played a very tough non-conference schedule this season. Currently, we don't have enough pieces contributing. If we want to change the outcomes of where we are, we need to work on our craft and get back to work until what we do is enough."

GAME ONE
NM State (12-14) looked to draw first blood in the bottom of the third when Kennedy Johnson began a rally with a single through the left side. Back-to-back singles by Rachel Rodriguez and Amy Bergeson loaded the bases but a groundout by the Kelsey Horton ended the Aggie at-bat and kept the game scoreless.

Kayla Green engaged in a pitching duel with Amber Fiser as each pitched three-straight scoreless frames. However, Green hit trouble in the fourth when she gave up a leadoff double to Minnesota (17-11). Following a hit batter, a single by the Gophers brought in the first run. The rally continued when an error by NM State (12-14) scored the second run of the inning.

The junior struggled again in the following inning when she gave up a walk to the first batter. Rodolph brought in Analise De La Roca to relieve Green but the freshman struggled from the start as she gave up a home run to her first batter. After the Gophers posted a one-out single, Green reentered for the Aggies, looking to close out the inning. A single up the middle scored another run for the opposition and NM State the Aggies trailed 5-0 heading to the bottom of the frame.The Aggies looked to rally in the fifth when Jeanelle Medina and Rodriguez recorded a pair of singles with two-outs on the board, but the NM State offense was unable to being the runner's home.

Minnesota maintained its momentum into the sixth as the team scored a pair of runs on a single through the right side. Trailing 7-0 New Mexico State looked to capitalize with just two frames remaining but despite a strong effort, the Aggies were only able to put a single runner on in the seventh when Caity Szczesny was hit by a pitch. The deficit was too much for the team to overcome and NM State fell 7-0 in the opening contest of the doubleheader.

Green picked up the loss, moving the junior to 7-7 this season. She pitched 6.2 innings and allowed five runs on three hits while striking out five Gopher batters.

GAME TWO
New Mexico State came out swinging with a pair of singles to start the series finale with the Gophers. Horton followed by posting a single of her own to drive in Rodriguez from second, scoring NM State's first run of the day. The lead was short lived however as a single and a double by Minnesota quickly tied the game in the second inning.

In the top of the third, the Aggies hit trouble when Samaria Diaz gave up three-straight singles to the Gopher batters. An error, a hit batter and a walk brought in three runs for Minnesota and a double down the right field line drove in two more runs, putting NM State behind 6-1 heading to the bottom of the inning.

New Mexico State looked to rally in the third when Victoria Castro reached on an error with two outs recorded. Fahren Glackin followed the junior with her second triple of the year, scoring the runner from first. Szczesny followed the senior by reaching on an error and glacin scored to cut the 6-3 Minnesota advantage.

The Gophers held their momentum heading to the following frame and after Diaz gave up a leadoff walk, Minnesota hit a homer to extend its 8-3 lead. The Aggies combated the pair of Gopher runs with a homer by Horton in the bottom of the fifth. Victoria Castro followed with a double, extending the Aggies' rally. After Castro advanced to third on a groundout, a sacrifice fly by Szczesny brought the junior home for New Mexico State's second run of the inning.

However, the Castro was the final Aggie to cross the plate for the NM State offense in the contest. New Mexico State followed the fifth by giving up seven unanswered runs in the following two frames including three homers in the seventh.

Diaz moved to 1-6 with the 15-5 loss to the Gophers. She pitched 2.2 innings allowing six runs on seven hits. Mikayla Bongi pitched the majority of the game down the stretch as the freshman went 4.0 innings allowing seven runs on nine hits while also striking out a pair of batters.

New Mexico State looks to bounce back against Battle of I-25 rival New Mexico. The team travels to Albuquerque, N.M., on Wednesday, March 21, with first pitch scheduled for 5:30 p.m. MT.