LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Just 48 hours after completing their weekend series at Jacksonville State, the Aggies returned to Las Cruces for a doubleheader matchup with (RV) Arizona. The Wildcats swept the afternoon set, improving to 26-12-1 overall. NM State has now fallen in five of six, moving to 21-17 on the season. 

GAME ONE - Arizona 17, NM State 8

Stepping into the circle to begin the doubleheader, Jaileen Mancha made quick work of the Wildcats in the first inning, recording three outs on three batters faced. At the plate, NM State exhibited no fear in the early goings of the matchup as Jillian Taylor recorded a double before Dezianna Patmon notched a single to put runners on the corner with one out away. The Aggies took advantage of the early hits as Devin Elam and Riley Carley helped bring in the first two runs of the game.

The Arizona offense responded with a run of its own in the top of the second inning as they benefited from an error in the Aggie outfield. With the Aggies maintaining a one-run lead, Desirae Spearman doubled the advantage - bringing in Jessica Carreon with a double to center field. 

This Aggie lead would exist briefly as Arizona placed its first crooked number on the board as they used five hits, including two home runs, to tally five runs and take hold of a 6-3 lead entering the bottom of the third inning.

NM State then responded with its second consecutive one-run inning thanks to the bat of Dezianna Patmon who mashed a solo shot over the wall in left field to pull the Aggies back within two runs.

Late in the game, the floodgates opened for the visitors as they combined to post 11 runs across the final three innings. This stretch also included the Aggies' busiest inning as they produced four runs in the bottom of the fifth as they faced a potential run rule. In the fifth, Devin Elam managed the Aggies' second home run of the game as she hit a two-run homer to center. Later, back-to-back hits from the Lunar sisters helped bring across a pair of runs that injected life into the Aggie fans in attendance as NM State cut the lead to four runs entering the sixth. Unfortunately, the Wildcats would quickly erase any hope for the Aggies as they managed a five-run sixth inning to lead to their run-rule victory.

GAME TWO - Arizona 11, NM State 3

For the second straight game, NM State sat the first three Wildcats and put up two runs in the home first. To start off the nightcap, Devin Elam drove in a run with a bloop single to right field, scoring Jillian Taylor for her team-high 29th run of the season. The Aggies tacked on another run with a sacrifice bunt from Riley Carley, driving in Desirae Spearman. 

The Wildcats took the lead right back with five runs in the top of the second. A single and a pair of walks loaded the bases before a hit-by-pitch brought a Wildcat across. After a groundout scored another run, Dakota Kennedy smashed a 3-run home run to left field. The Wildcats then took a 5-2 lead into the middle of the second inning. 

A scoreless home second was followed up by another run from Arizona in the top of the third, coming from a Carlie Scupin solo shot. Jillian Taylor responded in the home half of the third with a one-run shot to start the inning. The senior went deep to left center for her fourth bomb of the campaign. The Aggies cut the lead to 6-3 heading into the fourth frame. 

After a fourth-inning bunt scored a Wildcat run, the visitors tacked on two more in the top of the fifth. Arizona posted back-to-back home runs, extending its lead to six runs through five innings of action.

The Wildcats only added to their lead in the sixth as their 11th home run of the day pushed the game into run-rule territory. Despite a leadoff double from Devin Elam, NM State was unable to score any more runs as the next three batters struck out to put an end to the doubleheader.

UP NEXT

This weekend, the Crimson & White will stay home for a conference series with FIU. The Panthers and Aggies met two decades prior as members of the Sun Belt, but will now duel it out for the first time as CUSA foes. The series will begin Friday, April 12 at 6:00 PM MT and run through Sunday, April 14. The three-game weekend matchup will be streamed live on ESPN+ and available to follow via nmstatestats.com.

For complete coverage of NM State Softball during the 2024 season, visit NMStateSports.com – the official home of the Aggies – and follow the Aggies on Facebook (NM State Softball), Twitter (@NMStateSoftball) and Instagram (@NMStateSoftball).

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