ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The La Salle softball team (0-8) dropped a pair of games on Saturday afternoon for the second day of the Lobo Classic. Northern Colorado claimed a 16-2 victory over the Explorers and New Mexico took a 13-5 win.
 
Northern Colorado 16, La Salle 2
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• The Bears jumped out to a six run lead after they scored two in the first, three in the second, and one in the third.
• La Salle found the scoreboard in the bottom of the third when rookie Lex Ortman singled up the middle to drive in classmate Maddy Little.
• Northern Colorado bolstered its lead with a three-run sixth inning on three hits and an Explorer error.
• The Blue & Gold answered in the bottom half with a run on two hits. Senior Courtney Shupp sent a pitch to right field for an RBI single.
• The Bears added some insurance in their last chance with a seven-run frame. Northern Colorado recorded five hits in the inning.

AT THE PLATE:

• La Salle registered seven hits.
• Rookie Lex Ortman and sophomore Mack Bernhard each had a two hit game. Ortman added an RBI.
• Junior Ashley Mendenhall and Shupp each went 1-for-3.
• Sophomore Kaylee Piven went 1-for-2.

INSIDE THE CIRCLE:

• Sophomore Kelly Toomey started the game on the rubber. She allowed 10 hits for five earned runs with a walk and a strikeout.
• Redshirt-freshman Aubrey Seal made her collegiate debut after missing last season due to injury. Seal tossed the final frame and gave up four earned runs on five hits and a pair of walks.

 
New Mexico 13, La Salle 5 – 5 innings
HOW IT HAPPENED:

• La Salle hopped out to a 1-0 lead in the visiting half of the first. Ortman touched home after a fielding error by the home squad.
• New Mexico knotted things at one apiece with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first.
• In the second, the Lobos plated three to take a lead on two hits and two walks.
• One swing of the bat increased the lead for the home team with a grand slam in the bottom of the third to go up 8-1.
• The Explorers pulled within four after a four run fifth inning. Senior Emily Conaway started the scoring off with an RBI single to left field. Shupp was up next and launched a two-run shot to left. Sophomore Kaylee Piven continued the long ball game with her first career dinger over the fence in right.
• New Mexico answered with a four run bottom of the fifth to seal the game.

AT THE PLATE:

• Ortman and Piven both registered a pair of hits. Ortman scored a run and Piven hit a homer.
• Shupp concluded the game 1-for-3 with the two-run blast.
• Conaway finished 1-for-1 with a walk, RBI, and run scored.

INSIDE THE CIRCLE:

• Toomey pitched 4.2 innings allowing 10 hits and 12 walks for 13 earned runs.
• Seal entered in the fifth but the run rule went into effect before she recorded an out. She allowed one hit.

UP NEXT:
La Salle takes the field again next weekend for a tournament at Towson.