New Mexico State's Desirae Spearman tossed a one-hit shutout and also homered to power the Aggies to a 3-0 victory over the Nebraska softball team in game one of a Friday doubleheader in Las Cruces, N.M.
Spearman, the reigning Conference USA Freshman of the Week, allowed only a fifth-inning single and finished with four strikeouts. She improved to 3-0 this season and still has not allowed an earned run in her first 20.0 career innings. At the plate, Spearman went 2-for-2 with a double, a homer, a walk and two RBIs.
Kaylin Kinney (2-2) took the loss, allowing three runs on six hits in 4.0 innings with three strikeouts. Caitlin Olensky pitched the final 2.0 innings of relief and did not allow a run while surrendering only one single and striking out a pair of batters.
Offensively, Samantha Bland went 1-for-1 with a walk, producing Nebraska's lone hit and walk of the game.
After the first nine batters of the game were retired, Spearman and Kayla Lunar led off the bottom of the second inning with back-to-back home runs to give the Aggies a 2-0 lead.
Nebraska loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the third but was unable to score. Bella Bacon reached on an error to begin the inning and Bland walked before another error loaded the bases. But New Mexico State escaped the jam with a strikeout, a force out at home on a grounder back to the circle and a lineout to Spearman.
Spearman then gave the Aggies a 3-0 lead with a two-out, RBI double in the bottom of the frame.
The Huskers produced their first hit in the top of the fifth when Bland reached on a one-out single up the middle. She moved to second on a passed ball but was stranded there following a ground out and a fly out.
Spearman then wrapped up her third victory in as many starts by retiring the Huskers in order in the sixth and seventh innings.
Nebraska (2-3) will look to salvage a doubleheader split in game two against New Mexico State (5-0).
Post-Game Notes
- Billie Andrews did not play in the game, missing the first game of her career. Andrews had started 163 consecutive games at shortstop.
- With Andrews sidelined, freshman Samatha Bland made her first career start at shortstop.
- Kaylin Kinney surrendered back-to-back home runs in the second inning. The first home run snapped her streak of 8.2 consecutive scoreless innings and marked the first home run she had allowed in 28.2 innings, dating back to the 2023 season.
- Caitlin Olensky pitched 2.0 innings of scoreless relief, posting the first scoreless relief outing of her career (third career appearance) while stretching her scoreless streak to 4.0 innings.
- Malia Thoms made her debut in the game and had her first career at bat in the sixth inning.