Feb. 14, 2016
Final Stats
UTEP 4, NM State 12 (5)
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The UTEP softball team scored four runs in the top of the fifth inning, to cut a 9-0 deficit to five runs, but NM State answered with a trio of runs to claim a 12-4 victory in five innings on Sunday at the NM State Softball Complex.
With the Aggies (5-0) leading 5-0 in the fourth inning, pinch hitter Corrin Green connected on a grand slam over center to take a commanding lead.
The Miners (2-3), however, answered with four runs of their own after only registering two hits the first four frames.
Ariel Blair led off the inning with a walk, followed by a Taylor Sargent single up the middle. The runners then advanced on a Morgan Rasmason sac bunt. Lindsey Sokoloski, who has contributed right away in her first year, recorded her first RBI in a UTEP uniform on a pinch-hit single to third base, plating Blair for the Miners' first run of the day. Courtney Clayton put the Miners on the board again, as she reached on a fielder's choice, scoring Sargent. Kaitlin Ryder reached first on a two-out error and Kiki Pepi doubled to right center to bring her squad within five runs. A groundout would eventually end the inning.
Pepi finished the afternoon 2-for-3, while Hope Moreno added a hit for the Miners.
UTEP will travel to Las Vegas, Nev. to play at the DeMarini Desert Classic. The Miners will open the weekend with a contest against Nevada (4:45 p.m. MT) and host school UNLV (9:15 p.m.) on Feb. 19. Saturday will feature games against Utah State (12:15 p.m.) and San Jose State (7 p.m.), while concluding against Grand Canyon on Sunday (2:30 p.m.).
