LAS  CRUCES, N.M.--  Junior designated hitter Stacey Lien smashed back-to-back bombs and freshman third baseman Ashley Maroda hit a homer of her own as the New Mexico State (19-26, 3-6 WAC) softball team won the final game of the series, 10-4, against Louisiana Tech (22-20, 3-6 WAC), Saturday afternoon at the NMSU Softball Complex.

NMSU did fall in the first game of the day to Tech, 8-2, allowing the Lady Techsters to take the three-game series, 2-1.

Lien (Tacoma, Wash.) also had a team-high six RBIs and a double while going a 3-for-5 in the box. Freshman second baseman Kylie Randall (Chula Vista, Calif.) added a double and stole a base, while leading the Aggies in the box with a 5-for-8 performance. 

Senior second baseman Stephanie Herrera (Pecos, Texas) was 2-for-4 on the day and scored five runs, along with stealing four bases on four tries. Maroda (San Bernardino, Calif.) also recorded three RBIs.

Head coach Kathy Rodolph said that her team responded well in the third game and was really proud of the way Lien stepped up for the Aggies.

“We have really wanted someone to anchor the middle of our lineup this season,” Rodolph said.  “I feel that Stacy has always had the experience, talent and drive to be that person and she really proved that today.” 

“I also thought everyone came out aggressive and attacking in the third game,” Rodolph added.  “It seemed we were really determined both on defense and in circle.”

Leading the way in the circle, in the second game, was freshman right-handed pitcher Kristen Marris (The Colony, Texas), who recorded both her first start of her career and her first win.  She sat two Lady Techsters down, gave up five hits and four runs in her five innings of work.

Junior right-handed pitcher Samantha Dillard came in to close for the Aggies.  Dillard pitched a total of two innings and only gave up a single hit and got a strikeout.

Three Tech pitchers split the duty in the circle during the final game of the day.  Krissi Oliver started and threw 3.1 innings, while Wanda Malone came into pitch 1.2 and Jordan Simmons capped off the final inning. 

Each Lady Techster recorded a strikeout, while Oliver gave up eight hits and six runs, Malone gave up three hits and an Aggie score and Simmons gave up two runs on three hits.

The Aggies came out full throttle in game two, scoring a run from a Lien single to right field that scored Herrera, who originally got on from a single.  The Aggies took the lead in the first inning, 1-0.

 Then in the top of the third, the Aggies recorded two runs which extended their lead to by three.

Herrera singled and then stole second.  Sophomore right fielder Angie Ortega (Vado, N.M.) sacrificed which advanced Herrera to third.  Then Lien hit a two-run monster which lifted the score to 3-0.

The Aggies recorded four more runs in the bottom of the fourth.  Sophomore catcher Ali Baumhover (Gilbert, Ariz.) hit a single up the middle.  Junior leftfielder Kristi Randall (Chula Vista, Calif.), who pinch ran for Baumhover, advanced to second from a pass ball and then moved to third from another Tech pass ball.

Jones sent Randall home as she reached on a fielder’s choice and Herrera reached on another Tech error, which forced a Tech pitching change that brought in Mcllwain.

Ortega grounded out which advanced Herrera to second and Jones went to third.  Then Lien smacked her second homer of the game which scored three runs, boosting the score to 7-0.

However, Tech recorded a run of their own in the top of the fifth from a Jessica Kirby homer and began to chip away at the Aggies’ six-run lead.  Then in the very next inning, the Lady Techsters cut the lead to three, 7-4.

In the top of the sixth, the Aggies answered Tech by matching their fifth inning effort and expanded the score to 10-4.

Herrera walked and then stole second.  Lien reached on a Tech error, which advanced Herrera to third.  Then Maroda hit a three-run homer which scored Herrera and Kimbro, who had pinch run for Lien and ended the ball game, 10-4 in the Aggies favor.

   In the first game of the day, sophomore left-hander Vanessa Fitzgerald (Cloverdale, Calif.) fanned two Lady Techsters, while giving up six hits and seven runs in five innings of work.  Fitzgerald did record the loss on the day, bringing her overall record to 3-8 on the season. 

Marris came in to finish the game and recorded four strikeouts in three innings of play.  She gave up three hits and two runs, but did not give up a single walk.

In the first game, La Tech made its mark early in the top of the second with back-to-back home runs, which scored a total of three runs. 

The Lady Techsters registered two more runs in the top of the fourth from Sheridan double that scored Young and Kirby.  They ended the inning with a strong, 5-0, lead.

NMSU could not stop the hot La Tech bats as they scored three more runs in the bottom of the fifth and threatened the Aggies with another rule-run, ending the inning, 8-0.

But the Aggies created an offensive rally of their own in the bottom of the fifth and scored two runs. 

The lead off batter, junior designated player Stacey Lien (Tacoma, Wash.), walked and senior Stephanie Herrera pinch ran for her and then immediately stole second.  Fagan the third batter of the inning hit a sacrifice bunt that advanced Herrera to third. 

Then sophomore catcher Ali Baumhover (Gilbert, Ariz.) reached to first on an error which sent Herrera home.  The Aggies recorded their second run of the game from a Kylie Randall single that scored Baumhover.  However that was the extent of the NMSU rally and the Aggies fell in game two against Tech, 8-2.

NMSU is back in action Sunday, April 6, as they take on the US National Team at the NMSU Softball Complex.  The first pitch is set for 2:00 p.m., while gates open at 11:00 a.m.  This game is already completely sold out.

“We are all really excited to play the US National Team on our home field,” Rodolph said.  “We feel like it is our responsibility to give them the best possible game we can.  One of the reasons they are going on this tour is to prepare for 2008 Beijing Olympics and I just want to help prepare for that.”

Fans can watch livestats for the game at www.nmstatesports.com and can find recaps and stats following the conclusion of the ball game there also.