LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The Utah Valley University softball team dropped a pair of games to preseason favorite New Mexico State in Western Athletic Conference action on Saturday evening in Las Cruces, 9-0 and 10-0, as the Aggies swept the opening conference series three games to none.
 
The Wolverines (12-25, 0-3 WAC) recorded just six hits on the day, as the Aggie (27-11, 3-0 WAC) pitchers held UVU scoreless for both games of Saturday's doubleheader.
 
In the first contest of the twin bill, NM State jumped out to an early 7-0 lead after it scored a run in the first, two more in the second and four more in the third. Walks and hit batters aided the early Aggie rally, as UVU issued 10 free passes (eight walks and two hit batters) in the first three innings.
 
New Mexico State then ended it in the bottom of the fifth on a two-run run-rule walk-off home run from Fiana Finau.
 
UVU mustered just one hit in the contest, and NMSU's Dallas McBride didn't give up the hit until the top of the fifth when Erin Romero doubled to left center to break up the no-hitter. McBride (7-5) shined in the circle for NM State as she struck out five and allowed just four base runners all game long. Kailey Christensen took the loss for the Wolverines to drop to 1-5 on the year.
 
Romero led UVU at the plate as she finished going 1-for-2 with her fifth-inning double while Finau paced the Aggies with a 2-for-3 outing with four RBIs and a walk.
 
The Aggies once again took a quick lead in the nightcap as they put a four spot on the board in the first inning to take a 4-0 advantage. Corrin Green delivered the big blow in the inning with a two-RBI single down the right field line.
 
The Wolverines threatened in both the second and third innings but couldn't manage to push a run across as NMSU's Makayla McAdams pitched out of each jam.
 
New Mexico State then tacked on six more runs in the last of the third thanks in large part from to a two-run home run from Nue Silvia and a three-run round tripper from Finau to extend its lead to 10-0.
 
McAdams went the distance in the circle for the Aggies to improve to 6-3 on the season. Christensen (1-6) suffered her second loss of the day for UVU after allowing three earned runs without recorded an out.
 
Brittney Vansway paced the Wolverine offense in game two by going a perfect 2-for-2 with a pair of singles. Taleigh Williams too had a nice ballgame by going 1-for-1 with a single and a walk while Morgan Smith chipped in the lone extra base hit of the game for UVU with a double in the third inning. Finau once again led the Aggies by going 1-for-2 with three RBIs, a run scored and a walk.
 
The Wolverines will look to get back on track next weekend when they return home to welcome CSU Bakersfield to town for their first home conference series. UVU and the Roadrunners will play a single game on Friday, April 3 at 2 p.m. and a doubleheader on Saturday, April 4 beginning at noon. Following the three-game conference series against CSUB, Utah Valley will welcome BYU to town for a midweek contest on April 7.