LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Entering Friday night, the Aggies were 11-1 when carrying a lead into the seventh inning. Unfortunately, that record dropped to 11-3 after UT Arlington found a way to put together a pair of late-game comebacks as they earned the series win over NM State during Friday's doubleheader at the NM State Softball Complex.
 
On the day, the Aggies were led by sophomore catcher who finished 3-7 at the plate while posting three RBIs, one home run and one double across two games. Riley Carley's power was also on display as she finished the night with three hits, two RBIs, one double and a home run.
 
One of the most notable performances came from the opposing side as sophomore right-hander Jessica Adams spent the entire night in the circle for the Mavericks – throwing 239 total pitches while striking out four batters and walking just three Aggies in 15 innings of work.
 
For the Aggies, Aydenne Brown threw 6.1 innings in the opener while sitting down four batters and giving up just two earned runs. Emily Dix then went the distance in the second inning – completing 8.1 total innings on the day while striking out five Maverick hitters.
 
 
GAME ONE | NM State 3, UT Arlington 5
Fourth Inning
After the two sides combined for just one hit and no runs across the first three innings, the Aggies finally broke the seal as a Riley Carley double marked NM State's first hit of the day. Carley's sixth double of the season also pushed across the first run of the game for either side – scoring Jillian Taylor from first.
 
The Aggie lead was doubled in the very next at-bat when Hannah Lindsay singles up the middle to score Carley from second.
 
Sixth Inning 
UTA was able to get a runner on in the first spot via a fielder's choice, bringing the Mavericks' cleanup hitter, Meagan Westbrook, to the plate. Westbrook proceeded to hit a home run to center field on a 2-0 pitch to tie the game up at two apiece. Aydenne Brown would retire the next two batters she faced to escape the inning, but she no longer had the two-run cushion she did when the inning began. 
 
In the home half of the inning, the Aggies were able to regain the lead after Riley Carley belted a leadoff home run to left field – her team-leading 13^th long ball of the season – giving the Aggies a 3-2 lead as they headed to the seventh. 
 
Seventh Inning
On to pitch the seventh for the Aggies was Anna Rodriguez who was looking to grab the save in game one of the series, despite having only pitched four innings all season. After retiring the Mavericks' leadoff hitter, Lindsey Franklin was able to tack on a run with a solo shot to left field, tying the game at three.
 
Back-to-back singles put another pair of Mavericks on base, prompting a pitching change from Kathy Rodolph, who elected to go back to her starter, Aydenne Brown. Brown got the first batter she faced to hit into a fielder's choice, giving the Aggies the second out of the inning. However, a two-out, two-RBI triple by Morgan Westbrook brought home the go-ahead runs, giving UTA a 5-3 lead that they would hold on to for the remainder of the contest.
 
GAME TWO | NM State 6, UT Arlington 7
First Inning
After posting five runs in the final two innings of the opener, the UTA bats stayed hot in the first as they took advantage of a leadoff double and scored one run in the top half of the first.
 
The Aggies briefly trailed as Kayla Bowen, Jillian Taylor and Riley Carley each reached base to start the game and provide NM State with an opportunity to break the game open in the opening frame. Paige Knight then recorded her third hit of the day as she delivered a two-RBI double to right center to bring around Taylor and Bowen.
 
Third Inning
A three-run home run from Kimber Cortemelia flipped the game on its head as the Mavs immediately took hold of a 4-2 advantage after three offensive chances.
 
Centerfielder Jillian Taylor then moved the Aggies back within one run as she smashed her 10^th home run of the season with a solo shot over the wall in left field.
 
Fourth Inning
Emily Dix worked her way through a three-up, three-down top half of the fourth before Hannah Lindsay stepped up to the plate and put her bat to good use by hitting a game-tying solo home run – her fifth of the season.
 
Fifth Inning
Once again, Dix kept the Mavericks off the board and retired three batters in a row to set the Aggies up with a chance to retake the lead. For the second straight inning, Hannah Lindsay converted as she pulled a ball out to left field to notch her third double of the year and allow Riley Carley to score from second base.
 
Sixth Inning
The Aggie offense stayed steady into the late portion of the game – scoring one run for the fourth consecutive inning. This time, the run came as a result of Kaylin Jackson's fourth home run of her first season in Crimson and White. This gave the Aggies a two-run cushion heading into the seventh inning of a crucial WAC game.
 
Seventh Inning
In need of two runs, the Mavericks pushed across exactly that as Marley Neises singled up the middle to score a pair of UTA runners from second and third while tying the ball game at six runs apiece.
 
Eighth Inning
Unfortunately, UT Arlington would tally another run in the eighth inning while shutting down the Aggie offense in both the seventh and eighth innings.