RIVERSIDE, Calif. - Saturday morning, it looked as though the NM State softball team may have had to share the 2021 Western Athletic Conference (WAC) regular-season title.
By the time Saturday afternoon rolled around, it turned out the Aggies didn't have to worry about sharing any kind of league hardware with anyone else.
Fueled by a quartet of home runs - two of which came off the bat of senior Nikki Butler - the NM State softball team locked up its sixth Western Athletic Conference (WAC) regular season title under head coach Kathy Rodolph by taking down California Baptist 9-3 Saturday afternoon at John C. Funk Stadium.
Tied with Seattle U for the top spot in the league standings on the final day of the regular season, NM State locked up sole possession of the 2021 WAC regular season with its win coupled with Seattle U's 4-2 setback at Grand Canyon. NM State previously won the WAC regular season crown under the direction of Rodolph in 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.
SCORING PLAYS
T1 | Butler got the party started relatively early, hammering a no-doubt two-run homer to straightaway center to put the visitors ahead 2-0. Kayla Bowen followed up with a long ball of her own - this one of the inside-the-park variety. By looping a fly ball down the right field line, Bowen raced around the bases to make matters 3-0.
T2 | Hoping to put things out of reach early on, the Aggies continued to pour it on with a one-our RBI triple courtesy of Antuanett Dean. Haley Tanoti hiked the visitors' lead to 5-0 by driving in another run on a fielder's choice ball.
B2 | California Baptist broke up the Aggies' shutout bid when Katelyn Mangrello launched a leadoff long ball to left. That homer trimmed NM State's lead ot 5-1.
B4 | Two walks followed up with a sacrifice bunt allowed the Lancers to produce their next quality scoring chance. Molly Kolander's one-out RBI single through the right side made matters 5-2, but Felicia De La Torre stepped into the circle for Chloe Rivas and proceeded to retire the first two batters she faced to push the game to the fifth inning.
T5 | Butler was at it again in the fifth as she blasted her 11th long ball of the season out beyond the fence in center. The senior's second round-tripper of the afternoon pushed the Aggies' lead to 6-2.
B5 | A walk, an error and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases for the hosts, but again De La Torre was able to minimize the damage. Amanda Argomaniz managed to drive in another run for CBU with her two-out RBI single through the left side, but a flyout in foul territory put an end to the Lancers' second major threat of the afternoon and left NM State's lead at 6-3.
T7 | Reigning WAC Hitter of the Week Maya Martinez conjured up the knockout blow for the Aggies in the seventh. Her three-run homer to center with one down pushed NM State's lead to 9-3, accounting for the final margin.
AT THE DISH
• Bowen, Butler and Tanori led the Aggies' 10-hit attack by each coming up with two hits. Both Butler and Martinez drove in a trio of runs for the WAC regular-season champions who saw five of their 10 hits go for extra-bases.
• NM State's pitching staff limited the Lancers to just four hits. In all, only three CBU players reached base multiple times and included in that trio was Kolander who finished with a hit and one of the six walks drawn.
ON THE HILL
• Though working just a single inning, Matalasi Faapito (13-8) earned the win in the circle. The Aggies' freshman star gave up just a single run on one hit and a pair of walks. De La Torre and Rivas worked three innings each and combined to generate all five strikeouts.
• Kerisa Viramontes (16-12) fired the whole game for CBU, striking out four and allowing all nine runs.
COMING UP NEXT
• The top seed for the 2021 WAC Tournament, the Aggies next stop is Seattle, Wash., where they will try to punch their ticket to the 2021 NCAA Tournament. NM State's run in the WAC Tournament begins at 5:00 p.m. MT on Friday when it tangles with the yet-to-be-determined fourth seed from Logan Field.
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