May 7, 2011
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — New Mexico junior Danielle Castro hit a two-run walk-off home run Saturday to lift the Lobos over BYU, 3-2, at Lobo Field. UNM defeated the league leaders at home for the first time since 2003. The Lobos outhit BYU, 9-8, and received a complete game pitching performance from sophomore Kaela DeBroeck. New Mexico improved to 19-23 overall and 5-7 in league play. BYU fell to 35-16 on the year and 9-2 in Mountain West action.
The contest proved to be a perfect display of college softball. BYU’s senior pitcher Paige Affleck, who is considered to be one of the top arms in the conference, was in the circle, while UNM stood strong behind DeBroeck. The game was clearly a pitcher’s duel to the very end.
DeBroeck was steady and confident for the Lobos Saturday. She went the distance, allowing two runs on eight hits. DeBroeck had three strikeouts and stranded six Cougars on base. She improved to 9-13 with the win.
Affleck gave up the homer to Castro and took the loss. She dropped to 23-11 but had eight strikeouts in the game.
BYU sophomore Hannah Howell made a brief relief appearance in the bottom of the seventh inning. Howell came in and faced one batter. She recorded a strikeout before BYU reentered Affleck. Moments later, Affleck gave up the game-winner.
Lobo juniors Kerry Hodgins and Jessica Garcia were 2-of-4 at the plate. Castro finished with two hits, two runs scored and a pair of RBIs. Junior Jessica Lujan-Dresslar plated a run with a base hit to right field in the fourth inning.
BYU scored a run in the fifth on a solo home run by Carly Duckworth. The Cougars broke a 1-1 tie in the top of the seventh with an RBI single by Stacie Graham. BYU had eight hits in the game but it wasn’t enough to clinch the victory.
The Lobos close out the regular-season next weekend at UNLV and San Diego State. The final three games will be available via GameTracker on GoLobos.com.