Box Score Game 1 | Box Score Game 2
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Down 11-0 in the fourth inning to Stony Brook, a sweep of the day didn’t look in the cards. Getting run-ruled sure did. However, down to their last five outs, New Mexico had an all-timer, coming all the way back to win 13-12 over Stony Brook, capped by a fifth inning grand slam by Jasmine Casados.
The comeback gave the Lobos a sweep on the day of their two Lobo Classic games, winning their early game 7-3 over Santa Clara. New Mexico (13-10) has now won six of its last seven.
The Casados grand slam and game two win was all the more remarkable by what immediately preceded it. Stony Brook, playing a day after the death of sophomore infielder/outfielder Danni Kemp, bolted out to an 8-0 lead in the first inning. The first seven batters of the game reached safely, keyed by a grand slam from starting pitcher Melissa Rahrich. Jourdin Hering had a pair of doubles in the inning and three in the game.
UNM starting pitcher Jensen Main didn’t get out of the first inning, with Marissa Bethke replacing her. Bethke got out of the first inning but allowed three runs in the third. That made it 11-0, and that’s when UNM started its comeback, one that looked highly unlikely against Rahrich, who allowed a leadoff single and then retired nine straight.
The comeback started with one out as UNM scored five in the fourth inning. Casados drilled a single down the line, and then Chelsea Johnson reached on an infield single. Main looked to have grounded out, but a throwing error allowed her to reach and for Casados to score to make it 11-1. Callie McGarrigle singled in a pair to make it 11-3, and then Erickson doubled her home and eventually scored on a single by Cheyenne Smith.
Stony Brook (1-10) got a run back in the fifth to make it 12-5 before Krissy Fortner entered the game to quell any more threats. UNM went to work again, taking the lead with an 8-run inning to make it 13-12. Casados doubled to open the inning, moving to third on a Johnson single. Anjelica Lujan pinch hit and was hit by a pitch to load the bases. McGarrigle made it 12-6 on a fielder’s choice, and then Johnson scored on a wild pitch to make it 12-7. After a pitching change, UNM loaded the bases again on a walk and a single. Smith singled to make it 12-8, and Jordan Gelfand did the same to make it 12-9.
A fielder’s choice saw Erickson get cut down at home, but left the bases loaded for Casados. Down 1-2 in the court, Casados took two pitches to run the count full, and then she unloaded a deep drive to right center where the ball carried out over the leaping Sami Duffy to make it 13-12. That was all Fortner needed, who only saw trouble in the seventh inning.
With two down, Chelsea Evans hit a routine fly to right center, but D’Andra DeFlora and Cheyenne Smith had it fall between them, rolling all the way to the wall. Evans was held at third for a two-out triple, but Fortner struck out Lexie Shue swinging to end the game.
The drama of that game almost made UNM’s 7-3 win over Santa Clara earlier in the day an afterthought. In that one, Tess McPherson got the win with a complete game, allowing just five hits and three runs, but just one earned. She also struck out six.
UNM scored two in the first for a 2-1 lead when Casados singled in a pair. Santa Clara would tie in the third on two infield singles and a double that was about a foot short of a home run. However, from there McPherson would go on to retire 10 straight into the seventh inning.
UNM took the lead for good with two in the third on a McGarrigle sacrifice fly and a Cheyenne Smith single. In the fourth, Casados launched a home run, and Erickson did likewise in the fifth. UNM tacked on its final run when McGarrigle grounded out, driving in DeFlora.
Casados had an amazing day, going five-for-seven with four runs scored, seven runs batted in, a double and two home runs. Erickson had four hits on the day, including a home run, and Johnson had three in the second game of the day.
The Lobo Classic concludes on Sunday with a pair of games. Stony Brook and Santa Clara play at 10 a.m. and New Mexico plays Santa Clara at 12:30 p.m.
NOTES: Casados now has 23 RBI on the season in 23 games … Gelfand’s RBI single in the second game was her first of the season … DeFlora stole three bases in the opening game, and New Mexico is now 13-for-14 on stolen bases this season … Fortner struck out five in just 3.0 innings of work to improve to 3-2.