FRESNO, Calif.—The second inning proved to be the difference in Saturday’s Mountain West contest as The University of New Mexico softball team couldn’t capitalize on a bases-loaded situation while Fresno State took advantage in its half of the inning, scoring two runs to take a 2-0 lead in what turned out to be a 5-1 defeat for the Lobos.
Aleyah Wilbon came through once again as the key contributor to the Lobo lone run, earning a RBI for the second-straight game against Fresno State, this time hitting in the leadoff position of the lineup.
Wilbon and Lauren Wilmert led the team at the plate with 2-for-4 outings, all singles. With the two hits, Wilmert collected her 12th multiple-hit game of the season, a team high, while it was Wilbon’s fifth of the season. Kasey Halleen tallied the remaining UNM hit in the game, also a single, while reaching base on a hit-by-pitch in the second.
Cameryn O’Grady walked twice, with Bailey Klitzke, Andrea Howard and Taylor Jones all drawing one walk apiece. It was the fourth time this season that O’Grady recorded multiple walks in a game and the second time in the series that the junior shortstop has earned her way on base with a walk.
The Lobos had plenty of chances to score with a runner reaching base in the first six innings, with runners in scoring position in four of those innings, but were only able to plate one run in the fourth. UNM left a total of 10 runners on base in the game.
D’Andra DeFlora was the first UNM baserunner of the game after being hit by a pitch in the top of the first, the senior’s 10th hit-by-pitch of the season, but also became the first runner left on base after fly outs to center ended the inning.
UNM had a chance to take the lead in the top of the second following back-to-back walks for Klitzke and Howard to start the inning with both runners moving into scoring position on a passed ball. Halleen was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out, however, the Lobos ran themselves in to a double play to end the inning without scoring any runs after Jones lined out to left and Klitzke was tagged out trying to get back to third after attempting to tag on the play and stopping a quarter of the way down the line.
The Bulldogs took advantage the next inning with a leadoff solo home run and a double to right that scored on a throwing error by Wilmert followed by a wild pitch.
In the top of the third, O’Grady was issued a two-out walk on four-straight balls and Wilmert recorded UNM’s first hit of the game on a line drive to left field to put two runners on board. A foul out to right ended with two more runners left on base.
Halleen tallied a base hit on a blooper to shallow left field with two outs in the top of the fourth to start a two-out rally that led to UNM getting on the board to cut the deficit in half. Jones walked after working a full count which led to Wilbon hitting a ball to right field that scored Halleen from second on the next at-bat. It was Wilbon’s third RBI of the season and second of the series versus the Bulldogs.
A leadoff walk by O’Grady and a single by Wilmert that was just out of reach of the shortstop’s glove put two runners on with no one out in the fifth, but the Lobos couldn’t advance the runners any further to plate the tying run.
Wilbon kept the sixth inning alive with a two-out single to left field but a called three strike on the next at-bat ended the inning with the tying run left on first, which would later prove to be UNM’s final chance to tie the game.
Fresno State pulled away in the bottom of the sixth with a triple with bases loaded on a hit down the first base line that made it 5-1. The Bulldogs drew two walks and reached on a bunt to load the bases and set the stage for the one-out, three-run triple.
Down to their last three outs, the Lobos were retired in order for the first time in the game to conclude the game and hand UNM the 5-1 loss.
Klitzke pitched a complete game for the Lobos, her second of the season and first since throwing one against UIC on Feb. 16. The junior finished with a line of 6.0 innings pitched, allowing five runs (four earned) on six hits, while striking out six and walking five. The left-handed pitcher threw 116 pitches on 30 batters faced with 67 going for strikes.
Both starting pitchers had similar lines, with Fresno State starter Danielle Lung also going 6.0 innings before being replaced by Danielle East to start the seventh. Lung finished with 123 pitches on 29 batters faced, also allowing five walks and striking out six, but allowing just one less hit than Klitzke. Of the 123 pitches thrown by Lung, 65 were strikes.
UNM wraps up the series with Fresno State on Sunday at noon MT/ 11 p.m. PT.