“Alyssa threw well but our defense didn’t have her back,” said head coach Dan Powers. “It was a tough way to start off WAC play with injuries once again forcing us to shuffle the lineup. We will regroup and find a way to fix the little things and be better competitors.”
The Aggies took a 3-0 lead through the first three innings, as Staci Rodriguez scored an unearned run in the first and Malena Padilla and Chelsea Dohrwardt scored in the second and third on RBI singles.
Karina Smyth (San Luis Obispo, Calif.) scored for the Redhawks in the top of the fourth on a sac fly by Paige Bouska (Keizer, Ore.), as Brianna Guerrero (Buena Park, Calif.) advanced to third, but Guerrero was stranded at third to end the inning.
NMSU would add three more runs in the subsequent three innings as Fiana Finau added an RBI single in the fourth. Emma Adams hit a solo home run to center field to open the fifth before Rodriguez scored an unearned run in the sixth.
Isabella Geronimo (San Mateo, Calif.) and Guerrero led the Redhawks with two hits apiece.
In the circle, Karysta Donisthorpe earned the win for the Aggies, allowing one run on two hits while walking three and striking out two. Celisha Walker entered in relief, giving up just four hits and striking out four.
Alyssa Reuble (Lynnwood, Wash.) was handed the loss, allowing five runs on nine hits while walking four and striking out four in five innings. Lindsay Davis (Palo Cedro, Calif.) gave up the final run on two this while striking out two in the final inning.
The Redhawks and Aggies return to action in a doubleheader on Saturday, Mar. 29 at 3 p.m. PT.