Lobos Complete Sweep of Aggies Behind Brunner's Three RBI
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The Lobos completed the sweep over Utah State on Sunday by a score of 6-5 with a pair of freshmen leading the way.
Of note, it was the first sweep over the Aggies since 1989 and the first sweep of a Mountain West opponent since 2016 (Colorado State). Additionally, with the win in the series finale in 2023, the now four-game win streak matches the all-time longest win streak against the Aggies, that was last done between April 15, 1988 and April 22, 1989.
Katherine Brunner brought in the first three UNM runs and was one of four Lobos to finish with two hits in the game. As a team, UNM tallied 10 hits with Rachael Hathoot, DeNae Vasquez-Dickson and Elizabeth Baylor joining Brunner.
While the Aggies plated a run in the first inning, the Lobos took the lead in the home half for the first time in the series behind two runs on the bat of Brunner.
Hathoot extended both her hitting streak (to nine) and her on-base streak (to 27) on a leadoff single that fell over the head of the Aggie shortstop and into left field with Vasquez-Dickson executing a bunt to move her over. Following a Keyannah Chavez walk, a wild pitch advanced both runners a base, with Brunner hitting the 1-1 pitch to center as both runners came around to score.
The Aggies answered with two runs in the top of the second to go in front 3-2, with the Lobos responding in the bottom of the third to tie the game.
After McKenna Guest entered in relief to start the third and needing just seven pitches to retire the side, a chip shot by Vasquez-Dickson to lead off the inning fell in shallow left with the freshman racing around the bases for a double. Two at-bats later, it was Brunner again coming through with a hit to center with Vasquez-Dickson sliding into home for the tying run.
Guest worked around a leadoff walk with the runner reaching second on a sac bunt, getting out of the inning on a grounder to Sydney Carithers and a strikeout.
UNM had its leadoff batter reach on a walk as well in the home half as Chloe Yeatts walked on four-straight balls and Baylor singled to right to put two runners on to start the inning. Carithers advanced both runners on a grounder to third and Hathoot drove in the first run of the inning on a single to center as pinch runner Macie Andrews came in to score for the 4-3 Lobo lead. Vasquez-Dickson extended the lead to two on the next at-bat on a single through the right side to score Baylor before the inning came to an end.
The Lobos kept the Aggies off the board for the third consecutive inning in the fifth with Guest recording her second strikeout of the game to start the inning, with the offense adding a pivotal insurance run in the bottom of the inning.
Ashley Archuleta drew a one-out walk on four pitches and Yeatts drove the 2-2 pitch to the gap in right center to put two runners in scoring position. Baylor worked back from an 0-2 count to a full count before hitting the ball to right field deep enough for Archuleta to tag from third.
Utah State matched that with a sacrifice fly of its own in the sixth to make it 6-4 and after getting the first out in the top of the seventh on a fly ball to Baylor in right, hit a solo home run to make it a one-run game.
After starting the game and going 2.0 innings, Amber Linton reentered in the circle and while walking the first batter she faced, got a popup to Carithers at third for the second out and a grounder to Archuleta at second for the third out to keep the tying run at first and secured the win.
Guest went 4.1 innings in relief, allowing two runs on three hits and striking out two to earn her second win of the series and Linton earned her first save of the season.
UNM heads to Boise State for its next Mountain West series, set to start on Friday at 6 p.m.