Lobos Fall to Wolf Pack After Late Rally, 11-6
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.— The University of New Mexico scored six runs on two, three-run home runs, but a late rally by Nevada was the difference as the Wolf Pack took game two of the series by a score of 11-6 on Saturday afternoon at Lobo Softball Field.
Hitting second in the lineup, Aleyah Wilbon matched her career high set on Tuesday against North Dakota with three hits, going 3-for-4 at the plate, while Lauren Wilmert and Andrea Howard both went 2-for-3 with each tallying three-run home runs for the Lobos. Howard also drew a walk on her third at-bat in the fifth inning, just one of two walks drawn by UNM.
With the wind blowing out for most of the game, both teams combined for five home runs in the game, all coming in the first three innings of play.
Nevada got on the board first in the top of the first with a solo home run by Sadaria McAlister, but UNM wasted no time in getting the run back plus some in the home half of the inning. D’Andra DeFlora and Wilbon led off with back-to-back singles, and on the second pitch of her at-bat, Howard launched a shot to right field with a no-doubt home run in which the right fielder didn’t even move, to put the Lobos in front 3-1. After Wilmert hit a one-out single to left field, Nevada quickly made a pitching change to bring in Julia Jensen for starting pitcher Kali Sargent, who gave up three runs on four hits and five batters faced in 0.1 innings of work.
BYE BYE BALL!
No doubt about it as Andrea Howard launches a 3-run home run!
UNM 3, Nevada 1#GoLobos pic.twitter.com/wmEpRSvUfp
— UNM Softball (@UNMLoboSB) March 30, 2019
A bases-loaded walk in the top of the second narrowed the lead to 3-2 and the Wolf Pack tied the game in the top of the third with a leadoff home run by Kenzi Goins. After a fly out to Wilbon in left and grounder to Kasey Halleen at second produced two outs of the inning, Nevada’s Ashley Salausa hit a solo home run to left center to give the Wolf Pack a 4-3 lead. Following the Salausa home run, Bailey Klitzke took the ball in the circle, moving from the designated player spot to pitcher, replacing starter Kennedy Ferguson.
Much like the first inning, the top of the order put the Lobos back on top in the bottom of the third, with Wilbon starting off with a single through the right side. Howard reached safely on a bunt to put two on and after a fly out by Cameryn O’Grady to center, Wilmert helped the Lobos reclaim the lead, 6-4, with a home run to dead center on a 3-2 pitch to clear the bases.
B3 | We told you it would be a good day to be at Lobo Softball Field!
Lauren Wilmert with a 3-run shot to dead center to give UNM a 6-4 lead!#GoLobos pic.twitter.com/Bb0B2s5TYI
— UNM Softball (@UNMLoboSB) March 30, 2019
The score would hold until the top of the seventh, in which the Wolf Pack got to Klitzke and the Lobos defense, scoring seven runs on three hits and two errors and a wild pitch by Kiana Spencer, who entered in relief with one out in the inning.
Wilbon tried to provide a spark for the Lobos in the bottom of the seventh with a one-out single through the right side of the infield, but UNM’s next two batters struck out swinging to end the game.
Both teams recorded nine hits in the game and had three leadoff hitters reach base, however Nevada left six runners on compared to just four for UNM.
UNM used three pitchers in the game, with Ferguson getting the start and pitching 2.2 innings. The freshman allowed four hits and four runs with two walks and a strikeout on 15 batters faced and 59 pitches thrown. Klitzke threw 3.2 innings, throwing 82 pitches with 47 going for strikes, and recording four strikeouts, her most pitches and strikeouts since she threw 131 pitches and posted eight strikeouts against Illinois-Chicago on Feb. 16. After walking her first batter after entering the circle in the third with two outs, Klitzke retired the next six batters. Spencer closed the game with the final 0.2 outs, throwing 15 pitches on four batters faced. Klitzke took the loss in the game.
The Lobos (10-23, 1-7 MW) and Wolf Pack (19-12, 4-1 MW) conclude the series on Sunday with first pitch scheduled for noon.