Lobos Defeat Grizzlies to Split Friday Games
PHOENIX, Ariz.— The Lobos split the opening day of the Purple Classic, falling in the first game to Pacific 5-2 before responding with a come-from-behind 3-2 win against Montana.
Rachael Hathoot led the Lobos with a combined four hits, while Keyannah Chavez had a pivotal home run in the win against the Grizzlies, one of three hits on the day for the sophomore outfielder. Chavez and DeNae Vasquez-Dickson each registered two RBI with Chloe Yeatts accounting for one RBI.
In the circle, Taylor Snow earned the win after pitching 3.2 innings of scoreless relief, allowing no runs on three hits and adding a strikeout. After the Lobos took the lead in the top of the fifth, Snow recorded outs on seven consecutive hitters between the fifth and seventh innings to preserve the one-run lead. The RHP was the pitcher on record in both games, throwing a total of 5.2 innings, as the Lobos used a total of three pitchers between the two games.
GAME 2: UNM 3, UM 2
The Lobos scored three runs in the top of the fifth on four hits with the top of the order contributing to the runs.
UNM’s first chance to get on the board came in the top of the second as the Lobos battled at the plate, with Emma Bramson fouling off five straight pitches before reaching on a hit through the right side, and Karly Smith followed with a seven pitch at-bat, working back from down 0-2 in the count to draw the walk. A fielder’s choice put runners on the corners, where they were left as the inning came to an end.
Montana got on the board in the home half behind a leadoff triple, and after a Brooke Umali strikeout, hit a single to right to score the run. A double play ended the inning to keep the Lobos within a run.
The Grizzlies added a run on a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth, with the Lobos going to the bullpen for Snow. UM’s first batter against Snow reached on an infield single, but the Lobos turned their second double play of the game to end the inning.
UNM answered in its next at-bats as Chavez tied the game with a home run to center for her second home run of the season after Sydney Carithers walked. Hathoot kept it going, reaching on a bunt and Ashley Archuleta singled through the left side. Yeatts provided the go-ahead run with the fourth consecutive hit, a single through the right side to score Hathoot with UNM ultimately scoring three runs on four hits.
A one-out walk in the bottom of the fifth followed by a bunt single put the tying run on second, although the Lobo defense got out of the inning unscathed on a fielder’s choice to third and a grounder to Archuleta at second for the third out.
Snow and the defense retired the Grizzlies in order in the sixth with Snow getting the third out on a strikeout looking and needing just 10 pitches to get through the inning.
Holding a 3-2 lead, the Lobos got the first two outs in the bottom of the seventh on four pitches before a single up the middle put the tying run on. A hit to Hathoot on the first pitch of the next at-bat resulted in a fielder’s choice with the out at second for the final out of the game.
Umali made her first collegiate start against the Grizzlies, going a season-high 3.1 innings and striking out two to tie her season high, while allowing two runs on four hits and a walk.
GAME 1: PACIFIC 5, UNM 2
The first game came down to missed opportunities for the Lobos, as UNM left 10 runners on, seven of which were left in scoring position.
UNM had runners reach in all seven innings, leaving a runner on second in the first, runners on first and second in the second, runners on second and third in the third and again in the fourth, a runner on first in the fifth and sixth and a runner on third in the seventh. UNM had its leadoff hitter reach four times, was 0-3 with a runner on third and less than two outs and was 1-11 with a RBI opportunity.
As the designated visitors, Hathoot got the Lobos started with a one-out single to left, with Archuleta following with a hit up the middle. However, a double play ended the inning with a runner left on.
Both of New Mexico’s runs came in the third after Chavez led off with a single back up the middle and Hathoot followed with a single through the right side to put two on. Archuleta’s fielder’s choice put runners on the corners, which soon became bases loaded after a hit-by-pitch during Yeatts’ at-bat. Two at-bats later, Vasquez-Dickson made it a one-run game with a double to left center to score Chavez and Archuleta. The Lobos left two runners in scoring position as a strikeout on the next at-bat ended the top of the third.
The Lobos again had their first two hitters reach in the top of the fourth as Karly Smith drew her second walk of the game, working back from an 0-2 count, with Carithers reaching on a single to left field. With the lineup turned over, Chavez laid down a sacrifice bunt to move both runners into scoring position, but a strikeout and flyout to left prevented any runs from scoring.
UNM had its leadoff batter reach for the third straight inning in the fifth after Yeatts singled to right center following a 12-pitch at-bat in which the sophomore fouled off five straight pitches, took a ball and fouled off three more offerings before putting the ball in play, but the Lobos couldn’t add any more hits.
In the sixth, Chavez singled to right center with two outs, her second hit of the game for her seventh multi-hit game of the season, where she was left on, and in the final inning, Archuleta was hit by the first pitch of her at-bat to reach, taking second on a passed ball and moved to third on a foul out to the shortstop, where she was left stranded.
For Pacific, the Tigers scored three runs in the bottom of the second and matched UNM’s two runs in the home half of the third, behind five of its eight hits in the game.
The Tigers scored three runs on three hits in the bottom of the second on a leadoff single, with the runner being moved to second on a sac bunt and third on a grounder to Hathoot at shortstop, a hit-by-pitch and a double to right center that cleared the bases for the 2-0 Pacific lead. A single to left scored the runner from second for the third run.
Pacific added two runs on two hits in the third, getting a run back on a leadoff home run and then loaded the bases on a hit-by-pitch, walk and single up the middle. A double play provided two quick outs, but a wild pitch scored the runner on third with the inning coming to an end on a grounder to shortstop.
Snow got the start for the Lobos, going 2.0 innings with one scoreless inning and no walks and allowing three runs on four hits on 11 batters faced. McKenna Guest threw 4.0 innings and allowed two runs on four hits with three walks on 17 batters faced.
UP NEXT: The Lobos are scheduled to play two games on Saturday, starting with Toledo at 2 p.m. MT and close with Grand Canyon at 7 p.m. MT on ESPN+.