-and-
Aggies defeat Lobos 6-2 behind Watson’s home run and Garcia’s two-run double.
Source: NMSU Athletics
By Matthew Knope
Photo: Courtesy
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – There’s no place like home. After last playing in Las Cruces on Monday, February 17, NM State returned to the NM State Softball Complex to play host to rival New Mexico. With the Crimson & White controlling the series of late, Tuesday night proved no different as they won their 20th game in the past 23 installments of the Battle of I-25. Back-to-back three-run innings to start the night secured a lead the Aggies would never relinquish in a 6-2 victory. The win vaulted NM State to 15-11 overall and 2-1 in CUSA play. UNM fell to 14-12-1 on the season.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Lobos put themselves on the scoreboard first in the opening frame of Tuesday night’s contest with a two-run double to left field. Starting pitcher Desirae Spearman escaped the inning after a diving play by first baseman Kristiana Watson brought the Aggie bats up facing a 2-0 deficit.
NM State answered quickly after Faith Aragon and Desirae Spearman opened the night with a pair of walks. With two teammates on base, former Lobo Lauren Garcia stepped up to the plate. The first-year Aggie built up a full count before launching a double over the right fielder’s head and off the outfield wall. The knock scored both Aragon and Watson, tying the affair at 2-2. Kendal Lunar matched Garcia with a double of her own on the next at-bat, scoring a pinch-running Payton Nicholson run to make it 3-2 for the home team.
After starting the second inning with a strikeout, Desirae Spearman was relieved by fellow sophomore Faith Aragon. The UTEP transfer retired the first two batters she faced before recording a single in the bottom half of inning two. Two pitches later, Spearman crushed a double to center field that placed her and Aragon in scoring position. Kristiana Watson brought them both across to score while making a trip around the bases herself as the first baseman mashed a 1-0 pitch back to center field and well over the wall for her third home run in five days. The three-run blast put her side ahead 6-2 and proved to be the last run batted in of the night.
The first two Lobos of the third inning reached via hits, but Aragon reached another level, sitting 10 of the next 11 batters she faced. In the fifth, an error was immediately erased as the sophomore pitcher caught a line drive and rifled it over to first base for a double play to end the inning.
Meanwhile, the home offense cooled off. A pinch-hitting Bella Clapp produced the only baserunner in the Aggies’ final 14 at-bats as she drew a walk with two outs in the sixth inning.
Three Lobo singles threatened to cut into the deficit in the final inning, but Aragon escaped once again, doing so with a flyout and a strikeout in which she forced three swings and as many misses. Kenzie Nicholson recorded the final out of the game as she snared a line drive to close the door on a comeback from the visitors. The lineout capped off a night in which UNM left nine runners on base, including three in the seventh frame.
NUMBERS OF NOTE
- The Aggies have now won 20 of the previous 23 meetings against the Lobos, dating back to April 29, 2014.
- The Crimson & White now hold a 46-31 advantage over their rivals across all games played in Las Cruces.
- NM State now trails the all-time series against New Mexico 75-87 in what is the most-storied rivalry in program history.
- Since dropping five straight games from Feb. 21-28, Kathy Rodolph‘s bunch has claimed victory in six of their last eight outings.
- The victory boosted the Aggies to 9-4 in home games this year.
- Five Aggie hits were the fourth fewest of the year and their lowest tally in a win.
- For the fourth time this season, zero Aggies tallied multiple hits.
- In the opening 22 games of the season, NM State allowed its opponents to score 127 runs for an average of 5.77 per contest. In the ensuing four contests, the Aggies have allowed 13 runs to the tune of 3.25 per night.
- Kristiana Watson now has three home runs in her past four outings, doing so in just five days.
- Faith Aragon extended her hitting streak to a career-best seven games, still holding the longest active streak among all Aggies.
- Aragon has now reached base safely in 10 straight outings, pacing the team and further extending a new career high.
FROM THE FIELD
Head Coach Kathy Rodolph, on the win: “I feel like Desirae [Spearman], Kristiana [Watson] and Lauren [Garcia] were enforcers tonight. We needed every bit of it in the rivalry game. I felt like Desirae started well and turned it over to Faith who made some great pitches when we really needed them. Our girls played with a lot of pride and a lot of fight tonight. We’re becoming much closer as a team. When you do that and battle together, the load doesn’t seem to heavy on any one person, so I’m super proud of them. I’ve challenged them to put in two good days of practice now that we’re home before we get to play this weekend, and I expect that we’ll do that.
Redshirt sophomore designated player Lauren Garcia, on defeating her former team: “Rivalry games, especially in the Land of Enchantment, are always so interesting. It’s so interesting to see how it is on both sides now. I talked to the team before the game and asked everyone individually to have my back. Obviously, the outcome was in our favor, but I wanted everyone to give their best effort and play with heart. I think we did tonight. I think we played fearless and represented our home.
My first at-bat, I was thinking I wanted to work it out and wait until I found my pitch. Eventually, I won that battle, and I was proud because it’s difficult when you face a team that knows all your strengths and weaknesses. I couldn’t necessarily play straight up in that situation. Hitting that double, though, to tie the game, I just felt a lot of passion and pride. It was never anything personal, but it’s a moment where you believe in yourself and you know in your heart that you made the right choice.”
UP NEXT
The Aggies will host Jacksonville State this weekend for their CUSA home opener. The action is set to commence on Friday, March 14 at 6:00 p.m., as the home team looks to open league play with a second straight series win. Last year, Jax State took two of three games at home in the regular season, but NM State bounced back with a walk-off home run to advance in the first round of the CUSA Championship. All three contests between the Aggies and Gamecocks will be streamed live on ESPN+ and available to follow via nmstatestats.com.
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).
