-and-
Today was a double-game debut for thirteen NMSU softball players, but after a solid second-half win over Colorado State University, these players are no longer “debutantes“–they’re Aggies.
Source: NMSU Athletics
By Matthew Knope
Photo By Emilio Garcia for NMSU: Courtesy
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Day one of the 2025 season is officially in the books for NM State Softball. The Aggies split their first two games of the campaign, falling at the hands of UC Santa Barbara before entering the win column against Colorado State in the nightcap. 13 Aggies made their program debut, including Faith Aragon who earned the start at pitcher in the opener. NM State ended the day at 1-1 overall with four games left on the weekend, including two on Saturday.
GAME ONE | UC Santa Barbara 10, NM State 8
Sophomore and 2024 CUSA All-Freshman selection Faith Aragongot the starting nod in the circle, allowing one run to score in the opening frame to put NM State behind 1-0 in the first. Batting leadoff for the Crimson & White as well, Aragon reached on a fielding error, followed by a Devin Elam single, though the Aggies would fail to capitalize.
To begin the second inning, Aragon notched the first strikeout of her Aggie career to keep the deficit at just one run. In the bottom half of the inning, New Mexico transfer Lauren Garcia tallied her first hit with the Crimson & White, setting the stage for UTEP transfer Johnna Aragon to knock in a pair of runs and give the Aggies a 2-1 advantage.
The Aggies would push across another run in the bottom of the third as Faith Aragon earned a base on balls with the bases loaded to record her first collegiate RBI and give the Aggies a 3-1 lead after three innings.
NM State’s lead would dissolve in the top of the fourth inning as the Gauchos used five hits paired with two Aggie errors to score eight runs and take a 9-3 advantage. The Aggies would get one back in the bottom half of the inning as Devin Elam was hit by a pitch to reach base before a pair of wild pitches and a hard-hit double from Riley Carley brought Elam home. Unfortunately, the Aggies would leave another runner stranded to bring their total for the game to 10 through six innings.
After the Gauchos added another run in the top of the seventh, the Aggie bats made things interesting in the home half of the inning. A leadoff solo home run from Kendal Lunar would open an inning in which the home side would notch three hits and tack on as many runs. Despite multiple opportunities, the Aggies would come up short – dropping the season opener by a score of 10-8.
GAME TWO | Colorado State 4, NM State 6
To open game two, reigning CUSA Player and Freshman of the Year Desirae Spearman entered the circle, and she would not leave until the end of the night. In the first frame against the Rams, the visitors only mustered one hit, but a multitude of walks, hit batters and errors plated four runs for Colorado State. Once again, Kathy Rodolph‘s offense was behind before even stepping into the batter’s box.
After two innings of relative silence, the bats awoke in the third inning, and luckily for the Crimson & White faithful, it came in the bottom half. Kendal Lunar began the inning with a walk, before a fielder’s choice and a Spearman walk placed runners at the corners. Devin Elam, having already recorded three hits in the day’s opener, mashed a ball to right-center field for a double that drove in both baserunners. After Kristiana Watson was intentionally walked, Riley Carley and Lauren Garcia each recorded RBI hits of their own, including Garcia’s left-field double that forced the Rams to change pitchers. A wild pitch scored Garcia on the very next at-bat, before the inning came to a close after five runs on three hits.
In the bottom of the fourth, Desirae Spearman sent a ball deep to left-center and over the Rams’ heads, recording her first home run of the year. After tallying a team-high 18 a year ago, it only took the El Paso native four innings to tack on her first four-bagger of 2025. While Bella Clapp also recorded a hit in the inning, the offense fizzled out with a two-run lead.
The home side would grab its bats for the final time in the sixth inning. Clapp reached once more via a walk, before Spearman’s second hit of the afternoon drove the freshman to second base. A fielder’s choice led the center fielder 60 feet from home. Once again, Clapp and Spearman would be left stranded, though, becoming the 18th and 19th Aggies left on base across two games, respectively. Spearman got out of the top of the seventh with relative ease, capping off day one of the invitational with the Aggies’ first win of the year.
FROM THE FIELD
Head Coach Kathy Rodolph, on the first day of the season: “We came out very excited to play and I was super proud of our battles. I did feel like we were pitching from behind in the circle and that is not something I had seen from us yet. I do feel like that is something we can improve on. We came out struggling in game two to throw through the zone. It puts your whole team on its heels. Everyone defensively wants the ball and to be able to back our pitchers up. The attacking mindset of some of the more experienced players helped, because they refused to accept anything less than their best.”
Devin Elam, on returning for her junior season: “I went through a lot of stuff in the fall. Last night, I was just thinking about how I wanted today to go. I realized there are worse things than playing bad in softball. I can just go out there and give it my all. What makes it even easier is this team. I love my teammates. They’re so supportive and they push me to be my best. I can count on them to be there for me and cheer me on.”
Freshman infielder Tamara Carranza, on her NM State/NCAA debut: “The nerves were there of course. It’s my first time out here, so I just had to play my game. It’s still softball, so I had to stay composed. I feel like [in collegiate softball], I can get more advice and support from my teammates, because they’ve done this before. I knew they’d have my back and I had some nerves coming into this, but I also knew they were there to pick me up in case something went south. We’re all like a tight family.”
UP NEXT
The NM State Invitational rolls on tomorrow, with four more games starting at 9:00 a.m. MT. Two neutral games will kick off the Saturday slate, before the Aggies hit the field against Kansas City and UC Santa Barbara. The two home games are scheduled to begin at 2:00 and 4:30 p.m., respectively. All four contests will be available to follow via nmstatesports.com, while the Aggies’ bouts will be broadcast on 91.5 FM KRUX.
For complete coverage of NM State Softball during the 2025 season, visit NMStateSports.com – the official home of the Aggies – and follow the Aggies on Facebook (NM State Softball), Twitter (@NMStateSoftball) and Instagram (@NMStateSoftball).
