July 12, 2011
Ten Lobo Moments: GoLobos.com is flashing back on ten special Lobo moments from the 2010-11 season.
Thursday: Lobo Volleyball Spikes No. 13 CSU
Previous Flashbacks of 2010-11
Vela’s Lobos Kick Out Dazzling Season of Firsts
Alford’s Lobos Shock BYU & Jimmer
By Richard Stevens – Senior Writer/GoLobos.com
It wasn’t a beach softball game by any stretch of the imagination, but the offering from the Brigham Young pitcher that was floating toward New Mexico Junior Danielle Castro looked huge – like a beach ball.
So, the Lobo smacked the giant ball out of Lobo Field handing the University of New Mexico a dramatic 3-2 win over off Castro’s walk-off, two-run homer.
Of course, the place – and the Lobos – went nuts.
“The pitch looked like a beach ball on the way to the plate,” said Castro of her seventh home run of the 2011 season. “I just swung. I didn’t have any thoughts whatsoever.
“I don’t think we’ve ever beaten BYU since I’ve been here, so for us to win our last game against them is amazing.”
Castro is right about UNM not beating BYU in Albuquerque since she’s been a Lobo. But you can go back a lot further than that to find a day at Lobo Field when the UNM side of the scoreboard showed bigger numbers than the BYU side.
UNM’s last win over the Cougars in Albuquerque came in 2003. The win over BYU didn’t have much influence on the Mountain West standing, but it was another crucial step in the program Erica Beach is trying to build at New Mexico.
The Lobos need to defend their turf against the league bullies and Castro’s dinger allowed UNM to do it on this day. It was a signature win in knocking down a long-standing door of frustration and making a statement about this improving program.
Castro’s blow was dramatic and clutch and game-winning, but she wasn’t the only Lobo hero. UNM got a complete game in the circle from sophomore Kaela DeBroeck, who was locked in a pitching duel with BYU’s Paige Affleck.
Affleck is good. She went on to become an Easton All-American and was the 2011 MWC Pitcher of The Year. It was a big duel for DeBroeck to win. She allowed only two runs on eight hits.
The game had a curious ending, too. BYU’s Hannah Howell took over the circle in the bottom of the seventh and struck out the lone Lobo she faced. Not bad. But Affleck came back into the contest and threw the beach ball to Castro.
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.
OK, we admit there might be a little trend here. It seems like a whole lot of top Lobo moments come from stomping on Brigham Young Cougars. And it is nice to knock down those cocky Cougars.
But the next moment has nothing to do with BYU. It’s a volleyball slap down of Colorado State.