ASU’s late momentum fades in loss to New Mexico State

TEMPE — Heading into the sixth inning down by three runs, No. 21 Arizona State found itself in a familiar situation. After already having multiple comeback wins early in the season, ASU had two innings to put together one last effort against New Mexico State. As Sun Devils fans watched with anticipation, they also had belief because of their history in high-pressure situations.

After cutting into the deficit with a run in the sixth, an RBI sac-fly from junior catcher Emily Schepp in the seventh inning put sophomore right fielder Ashleigh Mejia at the plate, serving as the winning run with a runner already on base.

With the game on the line, Mejia’s contact with the softball failed to leave the infield, as she grounded out to end ASU’s (13-3) comeback effort in a 6-5 loss to the Aggies (6-11). New Mexico State rode junior left-handed pitcher Faith Aragon from start to finish, as she finished with a complete game for her fourth win of the season.

“Faith Aragon is a very good pitcher,” head coach Megan Bartlett said. “She’s a tough left-handed arm. We knew what we were facing, heading to this matchup, and just didn’t adjust quickly enough.”

The Aggies started off strong, scoring three runs in the first off junior pitcher Meika Lauppe, with RBI hits from sophomore Skye Johnson and a two-run double by senior first baseman Kendal Lunar.

ASU answered with three runs of its own in the first inning against Aragon, highlighted by a two-run RBI triple from Mejia and a stolen run on a pitching error. Perhaps the biggest missed opportunity of the game for the Sun Devils came in the first inning, as sophomore outfielder Tiare Ho-Ching flew out to center field with the bases loaded to strand three runners, a chance to blow the game open and build momentum.

New Mexico State continued to have its way on offense early, scoring two more runs in the second inning to claim a 5-3 lead. After a quiet stretch from both teams, its bats showed life again in the sixth when senior center fielder Devin Elam extended the lead by launching a solo home run into center field.

On Saturday, the Sun Devils took the win over New Mexico State 9-1, backed by a shutout performance by senior pitcher Kenzie Brown. Sunday’s game took a turn, with ASU unable to replicate the same level of execution offensively and defensively against the Aggies.

After Lauppe only lasted the first inning, ASU looked to freshman left-handed pitcher Mary Peyton Hodge to limit the damage. After giving up two runs in his first inning of work, she settled in to pitch two scoreless innings.

Although Hodge was credited with the loss, senior left-hander Aissa Silva took over the mound in the fifth inning to finish the game, yet New Mexico State adapted, scoring one run in the sixth to add to its lead.

“Aissa gave up one ball over the middle, and it got hit back to the palm trees,” Bartlett said. “But that’s the reality of college softball. That’s gonna happen.”

The Sun Devils will look to regroup as the ASU Invitational begins next week, aiming to turn their late-inning energy into consistent drive throughout the entire game against UC Riverside next Thursday.

“It’s early in the season, they’ll learn their lessons,” Bartlett said. “But that energy and that intention, that fight for us, is a really controllable thing, and I think we just let it slip away a little bit today.”