LAS VEGAS, Nev. - The Thunderbird softball team continued play at the UNLV Classic on Friday, and fell in both contests.

“In both games today we looked good for the first half of the game, then had let downs that led to big innings for the other team,” SUU head coach Tom Gray said about the day. “We have to find a way to put a complete game together.”

Florida Atlantic 7, SUU 2

The Thunderbirds fell to Florida Atlantic Friday afternoon, as the Owls were able to outscored SUU 7-2.

The Owls kicked off scoring in the bottom of the third inning, scoring a run on one hit leaving one player on base.

The Thunderbirds struck in the top of the fifth, as Jordan Theurer sent the ball over the fence scoring herself and Kylee Wolf to put SUU up 2-1.

FAU would respond in the bottom of the same frame, putting three runs on the board off five hits as the T-Birds got out of a jam with three Owls still on base.

After SUU went scoreless in the top of the sixth the Owls continued to pour it on, as they scored three more runs in the bottom of the frame to pull ahead 7-2.

New Mexico State 15, SUU 6

In the first game of the day the Thunderbirds took on the New Mexico State Aggies, and big fifth and sixth innings proved to be the difference as SUU fell 15-6 at Jim Rodgers Field.

NMSU put up five runs in the top of the fifth, and then put up six runs in the top of the sixth to create some separation, and forced the game to end early.

The T-Bird's three runs all came in the bottom of the third inning, when Morgan Leonard cleared the bases with a triple that scored Jordan Theurer, Payton Hart and Kylee Wolf.

The Thunderbirds scored three runs on six hits. The Aggies had 11 RBIs off 15 hits.

Cheyenne Cudahy and Kirsten Hostetler split time in the circle for the T-Birds, as Cudahy pitched five innings and allowed seven earned runs and Hostetler threw one inning and allowed three earned runs.  

“We are so close but it is going to take some added effort to get us over this hump,” Gray said about the team moving forward.