CUSA Softball Tournament: NMSU’s season comes to end following loss to Liberty

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KTSM) — No. 1 seed Liberty took down No. 4 New Mexico State in the Conference USA Softball Championships elimination bracket semifinals, 5-3, at the NM State Softball Complex on Friday.

After a 7-2 defeat to No. 2 seed Western Kentucky earlier in the day, NMSU was dropped to the elimination bracket and had to play top-seeded Liberty for a spot in the championship game.

Both programs remained scoreless headed into the third inning until Kayla Lunar hit a home run to give the Aggies a 1-0 lead over the Flames.

Liberty responded with a two-run inning in the 4th to take the lead and extended its lead to 5-1 after a Brooke Roberts RBI-single and a two-run homer from Sierra Kersten in the bottom of the 6th.

Aggies cut its deficit down to two runs (5-3) in the score to two in a last-ditch effort during the top of the 7th but were eventually shut down.

With the loss, New Mexico State’s 2024 season comes to an end. NMSU was a win away from playing in the Conference USA Softball Championships final in its first year in the new league. NMSU ends its season with a 30-25 overall record and 13-11 league record.

Liberty will take on Western Kentucky in the Conference USA Softball Championships final on Saturday. First pitch is set for 12:00 p.m. MT at the NM State Softball Complex in Las Cruces.

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