Rainy Doubleheader at MTSU Ends in Split for NMSU Softball

MURFREESBORO, Tennessee (KVIA) -- After rain pushed the series opener back 17 hours, NM State and Middle Tennessee scheduled two games on Saturday. Emily Dix was sensational once again in the opener, allowing just three runs in a complete-game shutout. The Aggies built momentum in game two, but fell short as three errors proved costly in a 4-3 loss. For the fourth time in their past eight games, the Crimson & White suffered a one-run defeat, ending the day at 13-10 in CUSA play and 28-22 overall. 

HOW IT HAPPENED - GAME ONE

After a gloomy Friday delayed the series opener a day, Saturday morning started off with a bang for NM State. Devin Elam extended her career-best hitting streak with an RBI single to get the Aggies on the board in the top of the first inning. 

Neither team got much going for the next few innings, until MTSU threatened to score in the home half of the fifth. A leadoff single was followed up with a pair of walks to load the bases with just one out. Emily Dix drew a popup to left and forced a swinging strikeout to close the inning for her sixth punch-out of the game. 

Dezianna Patmon took advantage of the momentum generated on Dix’s strikeout, doubling the Aggies’ lead. No. 22 took a 2-2 pitch to dead center field to put her side ahead 2-0. Patmon’s blast was her 12th of the season, ranking second on the team and driving in her 37th RBI.

HOW IT HAPPENED - GAME TWO
With Jessica Carreon up to bat and facing a 1-1 count, the game was delayed after lightning was detected in the area. The Aggies had already plated one run in the inning on a Kristen Boyd sacrifice fly. A Savannah Bejarano walk was followed up with a stolen base to put Aggies on second and third base. At 2:11 PM local time, the at-bat began. Carreon recorded a hit at 2:49 PM, ending a 38-minute delay. The single to right field scored Riley Carley from third base, putting the visitors ahead 2-1. 

In the bottom of the third inning, a two-out double tied the game at two runs apiece. After a scoreless top half of the fourth, the home side got back on the board, taking a 4-2 lead. Three straight errors started the inning, with a run coming across on each of the final two. Desirae Spearman had come in to relieve a starting Jaileen Mancha an inning prior. The freshman got out of the inning with no hits, holding the Blue Raiders to two runs, but the damage had been done. 

A sixth-inning rally began with a Jayleen Burton double to left center, and was followed up just three pitches later with a Kayla Lunar single to right center. A pinch-hitting Kendra Levesque brought Burton home with a sacrifice fly to deep center field, drawing the Aggies within one. The road team failed to bring Lunar home, however, stranding her at second base one at-bat later. 

Desirae Spearman kept the home half of the sixth inning uneventful, setting up a pivotal top of the seventh. The top of the order came up to bat, but the first two batters failed to reach. Dezianna Patmon reached on a four-pitch walk, but the game ended on a hard groundout up the middle. 

NUMBERS OF NOTE

• Devin Elam extended her hitting streak to 13 games, further past her previous best of six games. The April 15th CUSA Player of the Week recorded three hits, improving her batting average to .434. She also has 16 RBIs in her past 15 appearances. 
• For the second straight game, Emily Dix was remarkable in a shutout. The senior allowed just three hits and recorded seven strikeouts. Six days ago, those seven punchouts would have tied a career high, but her nine in a shutout versus LA Tech Senior Day surpassed that mark.
• Across the last two games, Emily Dix has two complete-game shutouts, allowing just four hits and striking out 16 batters. In the last two starts, Dix (No. 24) has recorded 24.24% of her 2024 strikeout total (16 of 66).
• Dezianna Patmon turned in her fifth and sixth straight game with a hit, thus extending her reached base streak to 10 games. Her home run in the opener was her 12th on the season, ranking in the top 10 of all CUSA batters. 
• NM State is now 7-3 in CUSA Saturday games this season. They have won a game in all Saturdays except one, with two losses coming in doubleheaders. The final chance to play a CUSA opponent on Saturday will come a week from today in the CUSA Championship Game at the NM State Softball Complex.

UP NEXT

The final of three games in the series between NM State and MTSU is scheduled for Sunday, May 5 at 11:00 AM MT (12:00 PM local). The Aggies will play in the final installment of their 51-game regular season, looking to tally their 30th win for the first time since 2021. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+ and available to follow via nmstatestats.com. 

For complete coverage of NM State Softball during the 2024 season, visit NMStateSports.com – the official home of the Aggies – and follow the Aggies on Facebook (NM State Softball), Twitter (@NMStateSoftball) and Instagram (@NMStateSoftball).