LOS LUNAS, N.M.—The Adams State University softball team opened the 2023 season on Friday afternoon at the Las Lunas Regional Sports Complex on Saturday. The Dane Craig-era opened with a nine-inning 19-14 win over the only Canadian NCAA team, the Simon Frasier Red Leafs.
The Grizzlies opened the game with a
Kaia Bradford walk before she stole second and scored on a
Sydney Muniz single before
Jade Garbiso, who had a single and stolen base herself, scored to make the score 2-0.
Danielle Hood, who got the season-opening nod in the circle for the Grizzlies, surrendered one run in the first inning but Adams State quickly got that run back in the top of the second when
Mariah Madrid hit a sacrifice fly to score
Belinda Vargas.
Vargas showed that she still has the power in the bat as she took a pitch and nailed a home run to left field. The Red Leafs countered with four straight hits to rally and get three runs and a 7-5 lead after four innings.
With the score 10-5, Adams State rallied back to tie the game at 10 in the sixth inning thanks to a three-run home run from
Angeline Mitchell. The Red Leafs than scored two runs to take a 12-10 lead into the seventh inning, Adams State clawed back and tied the game with unearned runs and a spotless bottom of the seventh forced the game to the eighth.
In the eighth inning, the Grizzlies saw
Angel Contreraz hit a single but the one-run lead didn't stand as the Red Leafs scratched across another run to tie the game at 13.
The Grizzlies had enough as they clobbered three two-run home runs, one from Muniz, one from Vargas and one from Contreraz.
The Grizzlies had 17 hits including five home runs. Mitchell paced the way for the Grizzlies with four RBI.
The Red Leafs fell to 0-2 on the season as they had lost their season opener to the host Western New Mexico Mustangs, 8-7, in the eighth inning in walk off fashion.
With the win the Grizzlies open the season 1-0 and return to action on Saturday when they play the Red Leafs at noon and then play West Texas A&M at 2:00 p.m.
