ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Michala Erickson pounded two home runs, driving in five runs and going 3-for-3 overall, pacing the Lobos offense as UNM picked up a 10-1 five-inning win over Northern Colorado on Sunday morning. The win gave UNM a three-game sweep of the series, and it extended UNM’s winning streak to four games.
Erickson hit a three-run home run in the third inning, powering a riseball deep to left, and then she added an opposite field two-run home run in the fourth that put UNM up 10-1. The only time she was kept in the yard was a screaming line drive single off the glove of third baseman Jen Wiatrek that would have been a sure double.
Erickson’s home runs were off of two different relievers in Valerie Vidal and Jayme Radcliffe, but regardless of who Northern Colorado marched out into the circle, they were greeted by UNM’s bats to the tune of 12 hits in just four innings at the plate.
UNM got things started in the first with three consecutive hits by Cheyenne Smith, Mariah Rimmer and Jasmine Casados. After a strikeout, Jade Gray laced a two-run single. Erickson’s line drive single reloaded the bases for Tess McPherson, who walked to make it 3-0.
After getting nothing in the second, Erickson crushed her three-run home run to make it 6-0 before Rimmer added a two-run double to make it 8-0. Northern Colorado broke Colette Roberts attempt at a shutout with an opposite field solo home run from Erica Dick, but Erickson dropped her third home run of the season and second of the game into the first row of the right field bleachers to make it 10-1.
Robert allowed a pair of singles in the fifth but no runs to record her sixth win, and third complete game of the season.
“We are swinging the bats well right now,” said head coach Erica Beach. “We are doing the things we need to do right now. We aren’t giving up early runs, we are scoring and getting a lead, and we are playing great defense.”
New Mexico has just one game next week, a 5 p.m. game in Las Cruces against New Mexico State.
Notes: Cheyenne Smith turned in a pair of web gems in the second inning. She snowconed a sinking liner near the line for the opening out of the second, and then followed that up by throwing out catcher Adeline Coldiron at first on what normally would have been a one-hop single to right field … Erickson now has 16 career home runs … Erickson’s five RBIs gave her the team lead with 15.