TUCSON, Ariz (Gophersports.com)  -- The No. 15/11 Minnesota softball team picked up a win in its NCAA Tournament opener against New Mexico State at Rita Hillenbrand Stadium in Tucson, Ariz. Friday. The Gophers erased an early deficit en route to a 10-2 victory in six innings.

The Maroon and Gold won a run-rule decision for the 20th time his season and upped its record to 47-9 on the year. It was the team's second win over NMSU this season.

The Aggies, who entered the game with the nation's ninth-highest-scoring offense, got on the board first in the contest with a two-run home run in the top of the first by Staci Rodriguez. That was all the offense Minnesota starting pitcher Sara Groenewegen would allow, however.

The Gopher rally began as soon as the bottom as the first inning began as five of their first six batters reached base. After Groenewegen made it 2-1 by plating Sam Macken with a chopper down the third-base line, Hannah Granger tied the score with an RBI double. Taylor LeMay knocked both Granger and Kaitlyn Richardson home to make it 4-2.

In the second inning, Danielle Parlich made it 5-2 with an RBI single that extended her team-best hit streak to 24 games. She has reached base in 53 of the team's 56 games. Richardson and LeMay both added runs with a bases loaded single and hit by pitch, respectively.

Parlich and Granger tacked on runs in the third inning to make it 9-2. NMSU's best opportunity to begin a comeback was when it loaded the bases in the fifth, but Groenewegen escaped trouble by striking out Kelsey Dodd to end the frame. Erica Meyer ended the game with a sacrifice fly to deep center field in the sixth.

Groenewegen improved to 29-5 in the circle on the season with a complete game win in which she finished with 10 strikeouts. She allowed just three hits. Macken finished the game with three runs scored, upping her season total to 55. That mark ties Tyler Walker's 2014 total for the fourth-most in a single season by a Gopher.

Minnesota picks up play Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT against region host Arizona. A win would send the Gophers to the regional championship Sunday at 6 p.m. CT. If they lose, they will face either NMSU or St. John's in an elimination game Saturday at 7:30 p.m. CT.

More From KROC-AM