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Lobos Edged by #10 Arizona, 3-1

Lobos Edged by #10 Arizona, 3-1Lobos Edged by #10 Arizona, 3-1

Box Score (PDF) | Boxscore

BOX SCORE (PDF)

TUCSON, Ariz. — The University of New Mexico softball team enjoyed an exciting matchup on Wednesday evening in an outstanding defensive effort, falling to No. 10 Arizona by a narrow 3-1 score on the road. UNM also outhit the Wildcats 5-4 on the night.

With the loss, UNM is now 12-32 on the season while Arizona is 32-13. 

Sophomore Jensen Main pitched all six innings for UNM for her ninth complete game of the season. Main struck out three batters and allowed just one earned run in a solid outing.

Offensively, UNM was led by freshman Sydney Broderick who went 2-for-3 at the plate.

The Wildcats scored a pair of unearned runs to get out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second. Main and the Lobo defense retired the first two batters of the inning on a strikeout and a pop up to sophomore Cameryn O’Grady at short, but on the third out, a Lobo error on a hard, infield grounder allowed a Wildcat on first.

Following the error, the fourth batter of the inning smacked a two-run homer over the center field wall for the lead.

Despite the error and deficit, overall the Lobo defense shined on Wednesday night. In the bottom of the third, junior Kasey Halleen robbed the Wildcats of a base hit. She dove at second, snagged a hard grounder and flicked it to freshman Andrea Howard at first for the first out of the inning. O’Grady snagged two straight liners at short as the Lobos downed Arizona 1-2-3 in the inning to hold the Wildcats to their two-run lead.
 

UNM threatened in the top of the fourth, putting runners on the corners with two outs. Senior Chelsea Johnson earned a walk but failed to reach second as junior D’Andra DeFlora nearly grounded into a double play. DeFlora safely reached first however on a throwing error, took advantage of the play and advanced to second.

With two outs, DeFlora advanced to third when junior Kristyn Whitley singled to shortstop, but a foul out against the netting down the first base line ended the inning, still 2-0.  

The Lobos held Arizona once again in the bottom of the fourth, including a pair of strikeouts by Main, and got to work in the fifth.

Broderick led off with a single to right field and was subbed out on first by pinch runner Taylor Jones. Immediately after Broderick’s hit, junior Sydney Townes walked to put a pair of Lobos on base.

With one out, Wilbon reached on a fielder’s choice and Jones slid home on a Wildcat fielding error reducing the deficit to one, 2-1 Arizona. Two straight outs ended the inning and UNM once again held Arizona in the bottom of the fifth.
 

The Lobos stranded two runners on base on one hit in the sixth but couldn’t find the equalizer and the Wildcats added their final run in the bottom of the sixth for the 3-1 final.

Not only did UNM outhit Arizona but the Lobos also left nine runners on base compared to five for the Wildcats. 

Arizona pitcher Alyssa Denham went 7.0 innings allowing no earned runs and striking out 10 batters.

While Broderick was the only Lobo to tally multiple hits on the night, Wilbon, Whitley and Townes registered UNM’s other three hits. Townes hit was a deep double to left in the third.
 

The Lobos will remain on the road as they travel to San Jose to take on the San José State Spartans on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE HIGHLIGHTS – UNM vs #10 Arizona: