-and-
Ten hits produce just one run as Aggies’ losing streak moves to four.
Source: NMSU Athletics
By Matthew Knope
Photo By Jenni Hazlett for NMSU: Courtesy
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liberty | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 12 | 0 |
| NM State | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 1 |
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – Despite multiple opportunities, NM State Softball failed to capitalize on enough scoring chances in its series opener against No. 25 Liberty. The Lady Flames (35-8, 14-1) were held to five on the scoreboard, but the hosts mustered up just one run across 10 hits on Friday night. The 5-1 defeat was the fourth straight for the Aggies, who dipped to 21-18 overall with an 8-8 mark in CUSA play.
HOW IT HAPPENED
The visitors opened the scoring following a quiet first frame from both offenses. A bunt single, stolen base and sacrifice bunt moved a runner to third base on the first three pitches of the side. On the next offering, a left-field single brought in the speedy Madrey, who advanced on four consecutive chances to score the series’ first run.
The third inning would prove to hold the Aggies’ lone crooked number on Friday. Riley Carley tied up the affair at one run apiece with a solo blast to left-center field on the first pitch of her second at-bat from the leadoff spot. The one-out home run was the senior’s second of the season and the 31st of her career, knotting the contest at 1-1 after three innings.
In the top of the fourth, Liberty pulled back in front. The visitors tacked on one more with an RBI single from Rachel Roupe, capitalizing off a prior hit and walk that placed the runner in scoring position. Faith Aragon’s third strikeout of the game got the Aggies out of the inning before suffering any further damage, holding the deficit at 2-1.
Across the Aggies’ final four innings of offense, they amassed five hits, but were struck out five times and left all six runners stranded. To start the fifth inning, Liberty replaced the 2025 CUSA Preseason Pitcher of the Year, Elena Escobar, who earned the start. Out of the bullpen, Dot Richardson elected to go with the 2024 CUSA Preseason Pitcher of the Year, Paige Bachman, who tossed three shutout innings en route to a save.
In the top of the sixth, Liberty expanded its lead as a walk and a passed ball put a runner on second before a single drove in a third run. Back-to-back hits in the final frame preceded a sacrifice fly before one final RBI single pushed the visitors ahead 5-1. Despite a 20-pitch bottom of the seventh inning that saw multiple battles at the plate, the home side failed to place a runner on base and a strikeout capped off the series opener.
NUMBERS OF NOTE
- NM State fell into a tie with Jax State and Middle Tennessee for fifth place in the CUSA standings at 8-8.
- Devin Elam posted her fourth three-hit game of the season, doing so for the first since March 15 against Jax State.
- Lauren Garcia’s two-knock day was her ninth multi-hit outing of the season.
- True freshman Zantelle Rodriguez tallied the first at-bat of her collegiate career, recording an infield hit on an unorthodox play to the left side.
- The Las Cruces native, who pitched 1.1 innings of relief, now has a career batting average of 1.000.
- NM State fell to 3-6 all-time in matchups with the Lady Flames, holding a 1-2 record in Las Cruces.
- NM State dropped to 8-14 when its opponents scored first this season.
- One run was the fewest for NM State in games with at least 10 hits this season.
- Previously, the season’s lowest run total in games with 10 or more hits was four (at LA Tech on March 9)
- Nine runners left on base were tied for the sixth-most in a single game this season for the Crimson & White.
- Friday’s loss marked the fourth instance of Kathy Rodolph‘s offense failing to score multiple runs this campaign.
- Across the previous three such outings, the squad tallied just 12 total hits with a .182 batting average, far below Friday’s marks of .333 and 10 hits.
- The series opener signified the first time that the Nicholson sister trio – Taylor, Kenzie and Payton – all cracked the starting lineup in the same collegiate game.
- The Crimson & White are now 0-8 when scoring less than three runs this season.
- NM State (21-18) is now 4-17 when its opponents score at least five runs in 2025.
Head Coach Kathy Rodolph, on the loss: “I feel like we put in some very purposed work this weekend, and we specifically put in a lot of attention to defense. I think we really cleaned that up. We had some moments that we played high-level softball, but we have to have more people contributing offensively to be able to score runs. I don’t think we’re owning those moments as well as we have talent to do so. I asked us to step up because know that we’re more talented than we’re showing recently. What I’ve asked us to do is to be more selective. When that pitch is within the 17 inches of the plate, we have to be ready to hit it. When it’s outside, we’ve got to be okay with letting it go.”
UP NEXT
The second of three games in this weekend’s series will take place tomorrow, on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. MT. NM State looks to rattle the CUSA standings by knotting the affair against the league’s top seed, while Liberty aims to clinch its 14th straight series victory across two years in the conference. The action 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).
