Written by: NMSU Athletic Dept.
Also See: bleedCrimson.net Weekly Coach Rodolph Interview :: 03/04/08
LAS VEGAS, NV - Junior left fielder Kristi Randall and freshman first baseman Hoku Nohara hit home runs, while junior short stop Kristi Hanan was a solid 4-for-6 at the dish as the New Mexico State softball team shut out Southern Utah, 9-0 and downed Portland State, 4-1, Friday afternoon during the first day of the UNLV Tournament at the Jim Rogers Field.
Hanan (Port Neches, Texas) also had a double, along with a team-high five RBIs. Kristi Randall (Chula Vista, Calif.) went 2-for-5 at the plate, drove in two runs and recorded three scores of her own. Freshman out fielder Kandis Jones (La Mirada, Calif.) and senior second baseman Stephanie Herrera (Pecos, Texas) both batted .500 on the day and scored three and two runs, respectively.
Freshman first baseman Ashley Maroda (San Bernardino, Calif.), sophomore designated hitter Angie Ortega (Vado, N.M.) and Nohara evenly divided six RBIs throughout the two game stretch.
Head Coach Kathy Rodolph said that the tone of the day was set in the first game.
"It was a good day. I feel like we were very aggressive in the first game and it set the tone," Rodolph said. "The win against Portland State is huge for our program because they are such a quality team. I also feel like we came out determined and did a good job avenging our earlier season loss to them."
Rodolph also said that the pitching staff had a strong performance in the circle.
"Watson did a great job for us today. She absolutely came in and stopped any momentum Portland State had," Rodolph said. "Vanessa also came out very strong against the Vikings and Dillard did a great job of wrapping the first game up."
In the circle, junior right-handed pitcher Kim Watson (Spokane, Wash.) recorded four strikeouts in game one and added seven more against Portland State. She earned both wins on the day and boosted her overall record to 9-7 on the season.
Junior right-handed pitcher Samantha Dillard (Phoenix, Ariz.) finished the remaining two inning of game one for NMSU. She recorded three hits and two strikeouts. Sophomore left-handed pitcher Vanessa Fitzgerald (Cloverdale, Calif.) threw the first 2.2 innings against the Vikings, recording a strikeout and only giving up four hits.
In the first game, the Aggies jumped all over the Thunderbirds in the bottom of the first, scoring four runs on three hits.
Jones, the lead off batter was walked and then Herrera advanced her to second from a single. Both were moved over a base from a Kristi Randall walk. Then freshman third baseman Ashley Maroda singled to the short stop which scored Jones. Sophomore designated hitter Angie Ortega grounded out, but still plated Herrera.
Hanan scored the remaining two runs from a single up the middle that brought home Kristi Randall and Maroda. Then Aggies ended the inning, 4-0.
NMSU lit it up again in the bottom of the third, scoring three more runs. Ortega doubled to left and was scored by a Hanan single to shortstop. Then freshman catcher Brittany Clifton reached on a fielder choice and Hanan was out at second.
Kimbro hit a short pop up to shallow left and got on which moved Clifton to second. Then Jones singled through the right side advancing Clifton and Kimbro. Both of them scored on an error by the Thunderbirds. The Aggies doubled their score, 7-0.
NMSU pinned on the final two runs of the game in the bottom of the fourth. Herrera was first to bat for the Aggies as she hit a single to the short stop and was moved to second as Randall reached on a SU error. Freshman first baseman Hoku Nohara grounded out to second base, but advanced both Herrera and Randall. Maroda got on base from a fielders choice that scored Herrera and moved Randall to third.
Ortega drove in the final run of the game but was out on the play. The Crimson and White women recorded their third run-rule game and second shut out of the season in the 9-0 win over the Thunderbirds.
Game two started with a bang from back-to-back homers by Kristi Randall who smashed it over the right field fence and Nohara who hit a towering one over the left-center field fence. Randall's homer scored Jones who originally got on base from a single to left field.
In the bottom of third the Portland State profited on an Aggie error as they put their first and only point of the game on the board, 3-1.
The Aggies added another run in the top of the fifth to elevate the lead to three, 4-1. Jones started the rally with a single to left field and then the Vikings decided to intentionally walk Kristi Randall. Nohara added a hard single which scored Jones and that would be the final point of the game and the Aggies won, 4-1.
This win increases the Aggies' record to 13-12 on the season. It drops Southern Utah's to 4-10 and Portland States to 8-14 overall.
The Aggies are back on the field Saturday, March 8, as they have another two-game series. The first is against UNLV at 12:15 p.m. and the second is against No. 20 Ohio State at 4:45 p.m.
"Tomorrow is definitely going to be tough," Rodolph said. "Ohio State and UNLV are both outstanding programs and we are going to have to come out and hold our own against both of these teams."
Fans can watch play-by-play action on livestats at www.nmstatesports.com and can find stats and recaps following the conclusion of the game.
