- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 442,028
- Reaction score
- 44
Faith Aragon was in the zone.
New Mexico State's sophomore allowed a combined 10 earned runs on 14 hits in her last two appearances and wanted a bounce-back game against Sam Houston. She was called upon for the second game of the Aggies' three-game home series against the Bearkats on Saturday, and she didn't let them down.
This time, she was effective. Aragon pitched her best game of the season with a six-inning shutout and a career-high nine strikeouts to help NM State (20-14, 7-4 Conference USA) take down Sam Houston (17-18, 6-5) and clinch a series victory with an 8-0 run-rule victory in six innings. The Aggies won the first game 8-4 on Friday.
Aragon brought her finest stuff against the Bearkats and kept them guessing with her pitch locations. It worked, as Sam Houston only managed three hits against her.
"I think I was just really able to move the ball all over the plate," Aragon said. "When I have that spin, that is when I have the best results."
NMSU football: New OC David Yost giving much-needed boost to Aggies' offense
Aragon started hot, retiring the first six batters she saw and recording eight of her nine strikeouts in the first four innings. NM State struggled at the plate early, scoring just one run in those four innings, but Aragon's efforts helped keep the Bearkats at bay before the Aggies came alive with seven runs in the final two innings.
Aragon showed confidence and continued challenging Sam Houston's batters even without early run support, impressing NM State coach Kathy Rodolph.
"I feel like she was working ahead and hitting her spots as well as bearing the speed (of her pitches)," Rodolph said. "She didn't walk a single player, and so she definitely believed that her movement was good enough to get them out."
Aragon has been working to make an impression in her first season with NM State after transferring from UTEP. She's become a regular starter for the Aggies and improved her ERA to 4.45 in her seventh pitching win of the season, and she enters next week's series against the Miners riding high.
Aragon is now aiming to build on Saturday's performance, believing she's on the right track for more success.
"I honestly don't think I've done anything different," Aragon said. "I think today, me and the team were just locked in, and when we do what we need to do, these are the results we're gonna get."
NMSU football: Logan Fife ready to be 'the guy' who fixes Aggies' quarterback problems
Devin Elam helped break the game open for the Aggies, while Desirae Spearman slammed the door.
Elam drove in the game's only run through the first four innings with an RBI single in the third inning and helped start a five-run fifth inning for NM State. Elam's two-run double into deep left field extended the Aggies' lead to 3-0, which was then followed by an RBI single from Riley Carley and another two-run double from Kristiana Watson off the right field wall.
Elam says Sam Houston pitcher Kendall Daniel had an early advantage with her off-speed pitches. But once she and the Aggies adjusted by swinging a little later on those pitches, they were able to light up the scoreboard.
"I feel like we just made an adjustment," Elam said. "She was throwing a pretty nasty drop on off-speed stuff, and Coach Rodolph told us, 'Stay behind the ball.' I think we really did a good job making an adjustment for that."
Spearman didn't get a chance to produce before the sixth inning as Daniel walked the lethal power-hitter in her first three trips to the plate. Spearman got something she could hit in the final frame, blasting a walk-off two-run home run into left-center field to seal the run-rule win.
Rodolph commended her patience and the way she seized her opportunity.
"I feel like she's really owning her moments," Rodolph said. "She's welcoming the pressure and taking whatever the game requires."
Opponents' hesitancy to pitch to Spearman is why Rodolph has Elam bat second in her lineup. If Spearman walks, which she's done a CUSA-leading 35 times this season, Elam can produce behind her.
"I put Devin in the two-hole behind Desirae Spearman because I need somebody if they're gonna continue to walk (her)," Rodolph said. "We need somebody that's gonna make them pay a price, and I believe in Devin's ability to make people pay a price."
The Aggies will play the final game of the home series at 11 a.m. Sunday and travel to face rival UTEP (12-19, 2-10) for their next three-game series starting at 6 p.m. Friday. Entering Sunday, NM State is fourth in CUSA's standings behind Liberty, Florida International and Louisiana Tech.
This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Faith Aragon earns career high in strikeouts in NMSU win vs Sam Houston
Continue reading...
New Mexico State's sophomore allowed a combined 10 earned runs on 14 hits in her last two appearances and wanted a bounce-back game against Sam Houston. She was called upon for the second game of the Aggies' three-game home series against the Bearkats on Saturday, and she didn't let them down.
This time, she was effective. Aragon pitched her best game of the season with a six-inning shutout and a career-high nine strikeouts to help NM State (20-14, 7-4 Conference USA) take down Sam Houston (17-18, 6-5) and clinch a series victory with an 8-0 run-rule victory in six innings. The Aggies won the first game 8-4 on Friday.
Aragon brought her finest stuff against the Bearkats and kept them guessing with her pitch locations. It worked, as Sam Houston only managed three hits against her.
"I think I was just really able to move the ball all over the plate," Aragon said. "When I have that spin, that is when I have the best results."
NMSU football: New OC David Yost giving much-needed boost to Aggies' offense
Aragon started hot, retiring the first six batters she saw and recording eight of her nine strikeouts in the first four innings. NM State struggled at the plate early, scoring just one run in those four innings, but Aragon's efforts helped keep the Bearkats at bay before the Aggies came alive with seven runs in the final two innings.
Aragon showed confidence and continued challenging Sam Houston's batters even without early run support, impressing NM State coach Kathy Rodolph.
"I feel like she was working ahead and hitting her spots as well as bearing the speed (of her pitches)," Rodolph said. "She didn't walk a single player, and so she definitely believed that her movement was good enough to get them out."
Aragon has been working to make an impression in her first season with NM State after transferring from UTEP. She's become a regular starter for the Aggies and improved her ERA to 4.45 in her seventh pitching win of the season, and she enters next week's series against the Miners riding high.
Aragon is now aiming to build on Saturday's performance, believing she's on the right track for more success.
"I honestly don't think I've done anything different," Aragon said. "I think today, me and the team were just locked in, and when we do what we need to do, these are the results we're gonna get."
NMSU football: Logan Fife ready to be 'the guy' who fixes Aggies' quarterback problems
Elam, Spearman show off power
Devin Elam helped break the game open for the Aggies, while Desirae Spearman slammed the door.
Elam drove in the game's only run through the first four innings with an RBI single in the third inning and helped start a five-run fifth inning for NM State. Elam's two-run double into deep left field extended the Aggies' lead to 3-0, which was then followed by an RBI single from Riley Carley and another two-run double from Kristiana Watson off the right field wall.
Elam says Sam Houston pitcher Kendall Daniel had an early advantage with her off-speed pitches. But once she and the Aggies adjusted by swinging a little later on those pitches, they were able to light up the scoreboard.
"I feel like we just made an adjustment," Elam said. "She was throwing a pretty nasty drop on off-speed stuff, and Coach Rodolph told us, 'Stay behind the ball.' I think we really did a good job making an adjustment for that."
Spearman didn't get a chance to produce before the sixth inning as Daniel walked the lethal power-hitter in her first three trips to the plate. Spearman got something she could hit in the final frame, blasting a walk-off two-run home run into left-center field to seal the run-rule win.
Rodolph commended her patience and the way she seized her opportunity.
"I feel like she's really owning her moments," Rodolph said. "She's welcoming the pressure and taking whatever the game requires."
Opponents' hesitancy to pitch to Spearman is why Rodolph has Elam bat second in her lineup. If Spearman walks, which she's done a CUSA-leading 35 times this season, Elam can produce behind her.
"I put Devin in the two-hole behind Desirae Spearman because I need somebody if they're gonna continue to walk (her)," Rodolph said. "We need somebody that's gonna make them pay a price, and I believe in Devin's ability to make people pay a price."
What's next?
The Aggies will play the final game of the home series at 11 a.m. Sunday and travel to face rival UTEP (12-19, 2-10) for their next three-game series starting at 6 p.m. Friday. Entering Sunday, NM State is fourth in CUSA's standings behind Liberty, Florida International and Louisiana Tech.
This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: Faith Aragon earns career high in strikeouts in NMSU win vs Sam Houston
Continue reading...
