LAS CRUCES, N.M. - Third-seeded Seattle U knocked off No. 1-seed NM State 6-4 in the first game of the second day of the WAC Tournament Friday to advance to its first-ever championship game. The Redhawks will play for the conference's NCAA automatic bid on Saturday afternoon at the New Mexico State Softball Complex.
In a game that went back and forth, the Aggies strnded nine batters in the loss. Trailing 3-2 entering the bottom of the fifth, Seattle U's Jessica Flanagan doubled to left on the first pitch of the inning and Nicole Bolasky reached on a bunt single. With Paige Bouska at the plate, Bolasky stole second. Bouska beat out a grounder to second, driving in Flanagan to tie the game at 3-3. Kaylee Ree lined a double to right field, plating two runs for a 5-3 margin. After a Madison Cathcart walk, Savannah Loomis lifted a sac fly to left, scoring Ree.
WAC Player of the Year Kelsey Horton hit a sac fly for the final score in the top of the sixth.
Seattle U starter Andie Larkins threw her second complete game in two days, allowing four runs on 11 hits while striking out four. She improves to 12-20 on the year.
NM State starter Kayla Green suffered the loss, dropping to 11-15 on the year. She gave up eight hits to eight different Redhawks. She struck out two and walked one. Samaria Diaz threw two hitless innings in relief.
Ree and Cherise Silvan both drove in a pair of runs, while NM State's Rachel Rodriguez was 3-for-4 with one run and one RBI.