The New Mexico State softball team defeated Louisiana Tech 7-1 behind a seven run first inning that included a grand slam by Tehani Kaaihue, her fifth home run of the season. Aggie starting pitcher Alex Newman battled her way out of a bases loaded jam in the first giving up just one run and used that momentum to stifle the Lady Techsters the remainder of the game.

LA Tech looked like they might break the game open in the first inning as they would load the bases with nobody out. After recording the first out of the inning, Newman would walk Heather Doiron pushing across a LA Tech run. Newman would then get Meghan Knowles to fly out to right field and Molly Goza to pop up to shortstop Kylie Randall to end the inning.

The Aggie offense would seize the momentum as Kylie Randall led off the game with a walk followed by a Kandis Jones single down the left field line. Tiare Jennings would load the bases after getting hit by LA Tech starter Meghan Krieg. Hoku Nohara would follow with a single to drive in Randall. Teresa Conrad would follow with a single to drive in Jones and Vanessa Valles would draw a bases loaded walk to put the Aggies up 3-0. After Ashley Maroda and Alyssa Ruiz were retired for the first two outs of the inning, Tehani Kaaihue would step to the plate and deliver what would turn out to be the game's crushing blow, a grand slam to left field to put the Aggies up 7-1.

The seven runs scored by the Aggies in the first inning of off starter Meghan Krieg matched the total number of runs the Aggies had scored off of Krieg in their previous five games combined versus the LA Tech ace.

The Aggies' own ace, Alex Newman, would work around a leadoff single in the second, a pair of one out walks in the third, a one out walk and two out single in the fifth and a leadoff double in the sixth. In the seventh, Newman would issue a pair of one out walks and then walk the bases loaded with two outs before getting Molly Goza to pop out to Randall to end the game.

Each team recorded five hits in the game and neither would score after the first inning leaving a combined 15 runners on base from the second through seventh innings.

The Aggies and Lady Techsters return to action on Saturday for a doubleheader beginning at 2:00 p.m. (MT).